Four IDF soldiers, including two officers, were injured in a clash with a Hezbollah gunman in southern Lebanon on Thursday night, the military said Friday, as Israel and Lebanon were set for another day of direct talks in Washington.

It came as the head of the Hezbollah terror group said Israel must leave southern Lebanon, arguing that a US-Iran understanding spelled “defeat” for Israel, and as the cabinet is reportedly divided on how to proceed with the situation, with some calling for the current ceasefire to be scrapped in defiance of the United States.

According to an IDF probe of the Thursday incident, at around 10 p.m. in the Beit Yahoun area, a Hezbollah operative who was hiding in a building threw a grenade at Israeli troops.

A combat officer was moderately hurt in the incident, and another officer and two soldiers were lightly hurt, the IDF said.

They were taken to the hospital for treatment, and their families were notified.

Within a few minutes, the forces returned fire, killing the operative, the probe found.

The IDF also struck several Hezbollah sites in the area with artillery and airstrikes following the attack.

The military also said it killed at least six Hezbollah operatives who posed a threat to troops operating in southern Lebanon.

לאחר שזוהו במרחב הביטחוני: צה"ל חיסל מחבלי חיזבאללה שהיוו איום על כוחותינו הפועלים במרחב ההגנה הקדמי מוקדם יותר היום (ה'), כוחות צוות הקרב החטיבתי גולני בפיקוד אוגדה 36 הפועלים בזוטר א-שרקייה, זיהו חמישה מחבלים מארגון הטרור חיזבאללה שהיוו איום על כוחותינו הפועלים בתוך המרחב… pic.twitter.com/uNRdIgou5P — צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) June 25, 2026

לאחר שזוהו במרחב הביטחוני: צה"ל חיסל מחבלי חיזבאללה שהיוו איום על כוחותינו הפועלים במרחב ההגנה הקדמי

מוקדם יותר היום (ה'), כוחות צוות הקרב החטיבתי גולני בפיקוד אוגדה 36 הפועלים בזוטר א-שרקייה, זיהו חמישה מחבלים מארגון הטרור חיזבאללה שהיוו איום על כוחותינו הפועלים בתוך המרחב… pic.twitter.com/uNRdIgou5P

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) June 25, 2026

According to the military, in one incident in Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, troops of the Golani Brigade spotted five Hezbollah operatives near them. In another incident, in the Ali Taher ridge area, troops of the Commando Brigade spotted an armed Hezbollah gunman.

In both incidents, the Israeli Air Force carried out strikes and the ground forces opened fire on the operatives, killing them.

The military said it continues to operate at the Ali Taher ridge, beneath which Hezbollah has a massive underground complex, where some 30 operatives are holed up.

The IDF said it will “not allow Hezbollah terrorists to exit the underground tunnel network or operate in the area of the ridge.”

On Friday, Lebanese media reported that flyers had been dropped by an IDF drone over the southern Lebanon town of Mansouri, close to Tyre, reading: “Danger Zone! Stay Away! Any........

© The Times of Israel