The Israel Defense Forces has opened an inquiry after verifying that it struck a vehicle carrying Lebanese troops in southern Lebanon early on Saturday.

Lebanon's military reported that two officers and one enlisted soldier died in the car attack, labeling it an aggressive and barbaric assault. The IDF noted that the vehicle appeared to be advancing suspiciously toward its positions while shots were heard nearby.

Israel has been engaged in combat with Hezbollah based in Lebanon since March, focusing operations mainly in the south where the group has fired rockets and drones.

The fighting does not involve direct confrontation with Lebanon's government, which opposes Hezbollah and has worked to arrange a truce.

The strike occurred on a road near Kfar Tebnit village, roughly four miles north of the Litani River and close to Nabatieh, a zone marked by heavy clashes and evacuations in recent months.

Israeli forces had issued broad evacuation notices for the area while advancing northward with air support targeting Hezbollah sites.

The IDF stated the targeted vehicle was in an active combat zone that had been cleared of civilians and where Hezbollah is thought to have been active.

A statement emphasized that any troop movements there must be coordinated with Israeli units and reaffirmed that operations target only the Hezbollah organization rather than the Lebanese Army.

Initial findings indicated three soldiers were inside the vehicle at the time.

The Lebanese Army condemned the strike sharply, calling it brutal, deliberate and repeated aggression.

It released photos showing the charred remains of the car on the road outside the village.

That understanding had set limits on Israeli action against Hezbollah sites in Beirut provided the group refrained from striking Israel, while also outlining pilot security zones in southern Lebanon where the group would be barred from operating.

Lebanon's government opposes Hezbollah yet seeks an end to the fighting on its soil, which has included major air strikes on the capital.

Officials have argued that a ceasefire is needed to allow their forces to disarm Hezbollah, though Israel has questioned Beirut's capacity to achieve that.

US President Donald Trump has pushed to ease tensions in Lebanon as part of efforts to reach an accord with Iran, which tied any settlement with the US and Israel to halting the campaign against Hezbollah.

Lebanon entered the wider conflict on 2 March after Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel in response to an Israeli strike that killed Iran's supreme leader.

Israel answered with an air offensive across Lebanon and a ground push in the south.

An early ceasefire reached on 16 April did not halt the hostilities.

Israeli strikes had mostly stayed within southern Lebanon in recent weeks, though the IDF has hit targets farther east since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered an escalation on 26 May.