Hezbollah refutes Israel’s claim of south commander deaths

Hezbollah has refuted an Israeli assertion that it had killed half of the group’s commanders in southern Lebanon, stating that only a few of its leaders were killed.

The Lebanese militia has been in almost daily conflict with Israeli forces since October 8, a day after Hamas launched a major assault on Israel.

Israel’s Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, claimed on Wednesday that extensive cross-border conflict triggered by the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza resulted in the elimination of half of Hezbollah’s commanders in the region. Gallant further alleged that the remaining commanders were evading the battlefield.

However, a Hezbollah official, speaking anonymously, dismissed these claims as false and misleading, suggesting they were made to boost the morale of what he described as the faltering Israeli military.

The official emphasized that only a minimal number of Hezbollah’s leadership, equivalent to the digits on one hand, had been killed. Despite frequent Israeli claims of targeting Hezbollah’s local commanders, the group has only confirmed the death of a few high-ranking members, generally describing others as regular combatants.

According to an AFP report, the conflict has resulted in significant casualties and displacement. Since the day following Hamas’ attack, at least 380 people have been killed in Lebanon, including 252 Hezbollah members and numerous civilians. On the Israeli side, 11 soldiers and eight civilians have died.

Both factions have intensified their military engagements recently, with Hezbollah escalating rocket attacks on Israeli military installations, and Israel conducting widespread strikes in southern Lebanon, targeting 40 Hezbollah positions just on Wednesday.

Hezbollah’s leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, has claimed the group has around 100,000 trained and armed fighters, although analysts often consider this figure exaggerated.