Israel claims it killed senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut strike
CNN
Israel carried out a “targeted” strike in Beirut, as Lebanon reels after thousands of small blasts hit Hezbollah members’ pagers and walkie-talkies this week, killing dozens and wounding thousands. Follow the latest news here.
Senior operatives in Hezbollah’s operations staff and commanders from Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force were killed in Israel’s strike in southern Beirut, the Israeli military claimed on Friday. Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Daniel Hagari said that “about 10 commanders” were killed. The military claimed earlier that senior Hezbollah military official Ibrahim Aqil was also killed in the strike. Allegations of a raid: The military alleged that Aqil and the commanders were the architects of a plan to raid and occupy communities in Galilee in northern Israel and kill civilians and Israeli soldiers, comparing it to the October 7 attacks carried out by Hamas last year. “They were underground underneath a residential building in the heart of the Dahya neighborhood, using civilians as a human shield,” Hagari said at a news conference on Friday. “They were coordinating terror operations against Israeli citizens.” In its statement, the military also accused Aqil of promoting or taking part in other attacks against Israel.