Under the truce that ended last year’s war between Israel and Hezbollah, Lebanese troops have been deploying in the country’s south and dismantling the Iran-backed militant group’s infrastructure in the region.
The deaths come after the Lebanese government decided this week to disarm Hezbollah and tasked the army with drawing up a plan to complete the process by year end.
Hezbollah has said it will ignore the cabinet’s decision, which came under heavy US pressure, while the group’s backer Iran said Saturday it opposed the effort.
A military statement gave a preliminary toll of six soldiers killed “while an army unit was inspecting a weapons depot and dismantling its contents in Wadi Zibqin”, in Tyre district near the Israeli border.
Investigations were underway to determine the cause of the blast, it added.
A military source, requesting anonymity as they were not authorised to brief the media, told AFP the blast took place “inside a Hezbollah military facility”.
