Two Lebanese soldiers were killed and three others wounded on Tuesday during clashes with wanted suspects as the army carried out a series of raids in the Sharawneh neighborhood of Baalbek, the Lebanese Army Command said.

In a statement on X, the army confirmed the casualties, explaining that the clashes erupted as troops advanced into Sharawneh as part of ongoing security operations in the area.

Earlier the same day, Annahar reported that a Lebanese Army patrol had come under fire during a separate raid in the Tal al-Abyad area. The shooter, identified as 17-year-old wanted suspect Hassan Ali Abbas Jaafar, opened fire on the patrol, killing two soldiers instantly.

Following the attack, the army imposed a tight security cordon around Tal al-Abyad and launched sweeping operations to track down Jaafar, who fled after shooting at the patrol. Reports said Lebanese Army drones later targeted wanted individuals in the Sharawneh neighborhood as reinforcement units expanded search operations across the wider Baalbek region.

In a separate statement, the Army’s Directorate of Orientation released the identities of the two fallen soldiers: 44-year-old First Warrant Officer Bilal Al-Barad‘i and 32-year-old Corporal Ali Haydar.