A Hezbollah strike hit an Israeli armored bulldozer stationed in the IDF’s south Lebanon buffer zone overnight, in violation of the ongoing truce, the military said Wednesday.

The unmanned engineering vehicle was hit in the Ali Taher Ridge area by an explosive drone belonging to the terror group, the army said. The explosion did not result in any injuries.

It marked the first Hezbollah attack since the framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon took effect in late June, and as Israeli and Lebanese negotiators were slated to meet for follow-up talks next week in Rome.

The countries have been discussing an Israeli withdrawal from the buffer zone, the disarmament of Hezbollah and an eventual peace agreement.

“This is a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon by the Hezbollah terror organization,” the IDF said.

The Iran-backed terror group has a massive underground complex under the ridge, near Nabatieh, and the IDF estimates that dozens of operatives are holed up in the area.

However, because of the ceasefire agreement, the IDF has been prevented from capturing the underground passages beneath the ridge.

Israel was deliberating a response to the violation of the ceasefire, security officials said Wednesday. The army added that its forces “continue to operate in the ridge area and will not allow terrorists in the area to advance or carry out terror attacks against IDF troops.”

Israel rejects further withdrawals ahead of Rome talks

Israel told mediators that it would not agree to additional withdrawals from territory in southern Lebanon in the Rome talks, Channel 12 reported Wednesday.

The June deal called for the Lebanese military to deploy in areas in southern Lebanon where Hezbollah had previously held a military presence and influence, paving the way for Israel to withdraw from the buffer zone it holds in the south.

Wednesday’s report said, however, that until Hezbollah is disarmed, Israel is halting further pullouts south of the so-called........

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