Israel launched another airstrike targeting a vehicle in Kherbet Selem, coinciding with the funeral of Wissam Tawil

Wissam Tawil, a high-ranking Hezbollah field commander, was laid to rest in Kherbet Selem, his home village in southern Lebanon. Marking the most senior Hezbollah casualty since the conflict’s escalation on October 7, his funeral drew a large crowd of Hezbollah supporters. Tawil’s coffin, adorned with Hezbollah’s yellow flag, was paraded through the village amid a significant turnout.

Coinciding with the funeral, Israeli forces targeted a vehicle in the village, reported by the National News Agency (NNA) and eyewitnesses. The details of this strike, including the intended target and any resulting casualties, remained unclear at the time.

Tawil had been a key figure in Hezbollah’s operations, known for his involvement in the 2006 abduction of Israeli soldiers, which precipitated a war with Israel, and his significant role in operations within Syria. Additionally, he was credited with directing numerous attacks against Israeli forces since the onset of the current Gaza conflict.

Earlier on the same day, another Israeli airstrike hit a vehicle in the village of Ghandourieh in southern Lebanon. This attack resulted in the deaths of three Hezbollah fighters, as confirmed by a security source to AFP under the condition of anonymity. Hezbollah later acknowledged the loss of these three fighters.

The ongoing cross-border conflict has resulted in the deaths of 185 individuals in Lebanon, including over 139 Hezbollah fighters, more than 20 civilians, and three journalists, as per an AFP count. In northern Israel, the conflict has led to the deaths of nine soldiers and at least four civilians, according to Israeli sources.