Israeli Airstrike Kills Several Elite Hezbollah Fighters in Southern Lebanon

An Israeli airstrike late Thursday killed a commander and other militants from Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force in southern Lebanon, as reported by both the group and Israel’s military.

Hezbollah confirmed the death of commander Ali Jaafar Maatouq, also known as Habib Maatouq. Israel stated that Maatouq, another Radwan Force commander, and additional members of Hezbollah’s special forces, who operate along the border, were killed.

Earlier the same day, two drone strikes in southern Lebanon and one in the eastern Bekaa Valley resulted in the deaths of a Hezbollah member and an official from the Sunni Muslim al-Jamaa al-Islamiya, a group closely linked to Hamas and allied with Hezbollah.

These targeted killings marked a significant increase in violence on the Lebanon-Israel border, where Hezbollah and Israel have been in conflict for over nine months. Hezbollah began launching rockets shortly after Hamas’ attack on October 7, aiming to alleviate pressure on Gaza. Since then, Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have killed over 450 people, mostly Hezbollah members, but also around 90 civilians and non-combatants. On the Israeli side, 21 soldiers and 13 civilians have been killed.