Israeli forces said they have captured a member of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force in southern Lebanon, as cross-border tensions continue despite a fragile ceasefire and ahead of renewed US-mediated talks.

Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee said troops from the 300th Brigade detained the operative after identifying him as allegedly preparing an imminent attack.

“Troops from the 300th Brigade continue to operate south of the forward defense line to locate weapons and dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure, and to prevent any direct threat to communities in the northern region,” Adraee said.

He added that forces had identified the Radwan member as preparing to carry out an “immediate terrorist attack” against Israeli troops.

“Shortly after being detected, he surrendered and turned himself in to the troops,” Adraee said, adding that he was transferred to Israel for interrogation by Unit 504, the military intelligence unit specializing in human sources.

The military said the surrender followed intensified operations aimed at dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure in the area.

Missile attack and renewed warnings

In a separate development, the Israeli military said Hezbollah fired an anti-tank guided missile at its forces stationed in southern Lebanon earlier on Wednesday morning.

According to the Israeli army, the missile landed near troops but caused no injuries. The army described the incident as a “blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement.”

The escalation came as the Israeli military reiterated warnings to Lebanese civilians against returning to villages in the south, citing ongoing operations and continued Hezbollah activity.

“We reiterate that during the ceasefire agreement, the Israeli army continues to remain deployed in its positions in southern Lebanon in the face of the ongoing terror activity of Hezbollah,” military spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee said in a post on X.

He warned civilians: “For your safety and the safety of your family members, until further notice, you are required not to move south of the line of the displayed villages and their surroundings,” attaching a map outlining what the army described as a new security zone.

“It is also prohibited to approach the Litani River area, Wadi al-Salhani, and Saluki,” he added.

Separately, the Israeli army said it had fired an interceptor missile at what it described as a “suspicious aerial target” over southern Lebanon near areas where troops are deployed. The object did not enter Israeli airspace, and the results of the interception are under review.

Continued strikes and ground activity

On the ground, Israeli forces continued operations across southern Lebanon, including setting fire to homes in the Mafilha neighborhood west of Mays al-Jabal in the early hours of the morning. Explosions were also reported in the town of Khiyam.

Elsewhere, an interceptor missile was reported to have detonated over Kfarkila, while Hezbollah allegedly fired a rocket toward the Israeli town of Metula. The projectile was intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome system over Qlayaa in the Marjayoun district, according to local reports.

The Israeli army also said it had killed a Hezbollah operative the previous day at a rocket launch site in southern Lebanon’s Sejoud area. The military said the strike was intended to “prevent a direct threat to the communities of northern Israel,” adding that “the terrorist was eliminated in an aerial strike in order to prevent the continuation of his activity at the launch site.”

Journalist killed in airstrike

Meanwhile, an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon killed Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil on Wednesday, according to Lebanese officials and media organizations.

Her body was recovered from under the rubble hours after the strike. Information Minister Paul Morcos confirmed her death. Khalil, a reporter for the pro-Hezbollah newspaper Al-Akhbar, was covering developments near the village of al-Tiri alongside freelance photographer Zeinab Faraj when the strike hit a vehicle in front of them.

According to Lebanon’s health ministry, a senior military official and press freedom advocates, the two then took shelter in a nearby house, which was also struck in a second attack.

Faraj was rescued with a head injury, the head of Lebanon’s journalists’ union said.

The Israeli military said it had received reports of two journalists being wounded but did not immediately comment on Khalil’s death. It said the strike followed the identification of two vehicles leaving a building it said was used by Hezbollah.

“After the terrorists crossed the forward defense line and approached the forces in a manner that posed an immediate threat,” the army said it struck one of the vehicles and then the building “to which the terrorists fled.”

Allegations of looting

Separately, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported allegations of widespread looting by Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon. Citing testimonies from soldiers and field commanders, it said both regular and reserve troops had been taking civilian property from homes, shops and factories, allegedly with commanders’ knowledge and without disciplinary consequences.

According to the report, items including motorcycles, televisions, furniture, paintings, sofas and carpets were being taken routinely, with soldiers loading goods onto vehicles as they left Lebanon, often without concealment.

Diplomatic track ahead

The developments come ahead of a second round of US-sponsored talks between Lebanon and Israel scheduled for Thursday in Washington. Lebanese officials are expected to request a one-month extension of the ceasefire, in place since April 17, as both sides attempt to prevent a further escalation of hostilities.