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An Israeli attack killed three Lebanese troops in southern Lebanon on Thursday, as France hosted a conference to rally support for Lebanese state forces, seen as essential to any diplomatic solution to the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
The Lebanese soldiers were killed as they evacuated injured people on the outskirts of the southern village of Yater, the Lebanese army said.
They were killed at around 4.15am (12.15pm AEDT), a security source said.
There was no immediate comment on the attack from the Israeli army, which has previously said it is not operating against the Lebanese army.
The area is part of the border area that was bombarded by Israel during its months-long offensive against the heavily armed, Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah, in a conflict arising from the Gaza war.
With more than 2,500 dead in Lebanon and more than 1 million people driven from their homes, the Paris conference aims to mobilize both humanitarian aid and support for the Lebanese army, according to Lebanese authorities.
The Lebanese army, a recipient of US aid, has little influence on the ground in Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon.
It recruits from Lebanon’s numerous sectarian communities and has been seen as a guarantor of peace since the 1975-1990 civil war.
Its deployment in the south is a key part of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel.
The meeting in Paris will reiterate that resolution 1701 must be the basis for a cessation of current hostilities.
“There must be a ceasefire in Lebanon. More damage, more victims and more strikes will not allow the end of terrorism or guarantee security for all,” said French President Emmanuel Macron.
He said the conference would support the recruitment of 6,000 Lebanese troops and provide the army with key supplies.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Beirut could deploy 8,000 soldiers as part of a ceasefire plan, but called for international financial support and training.
“The storm we are currently witnessing is unlike any other because it carries within it the seeds of total destruction, not only for our country, but for all human values,” Mikati said.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told his Israeli counterpart on Wednesday that Washington was concerned about attacks on the Lebanese forces as he urged Israel to take steps to ensure the security of the Lebanese army and the the Pentagon said.
