Israel airstrike kills Hezbollah commander in southern Lebanon

03/07/2024 / By Richard Brown

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has announced that it eliminated a key leader of the Lebanon-based Hezbollah in an airstrike.

According to the IDF, it reportedly killed Hassan Hussein Salami on Feb. 26 while he was driving through the village of Majadel in southern Lebanon. Salami’s demise at the hands of the Israeli Air Force – the aerial branch of the IDF – in a targeted airstrike signals the end of his role as a brigade commander.

The Israeli military said Salami led regional units within Hezbollah, orchestrating attacks against Israeli soldiers and communities in northern Israel. Per IDF reports, he notably played a direct role in recent attacks, including the firing of anti-tank missiles at the city of Kiryat Shmona and the 769th Hiram Regional Brigade’s base.

Footage capturing the airstrike depicted a bomb striking Salami’s vehicle, resulting in a fiery explosion and subsequent collision with a nearby building. While Hezbollah confirmed Salami’s death, it refrained from acknowledging his specific role as a commander. This also marked heightened tensions between Tel Aviv and the Shiite group. (Related: Israel vs. Hezbollah: A new war will consume the entire Middle East.)

Following Israeli airstrikes in the Bekaa Valley that killed two, Hezbollah responded by launching 60 Katyusha rockets at Israel’s army headquarters in Golan Heights. In retaliation, the IDF escalated its response by launching additional missiles at Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon.

Israel releases footage of IDF strikes in Lebanon

For nearly five months marked by daily conflicts, approximately 200 Hezbollah fighters and 35 civilians in Lebanon have lost their lives. Israel also issued a stern warning against Hezbollah’s presence along its border with Lebanon. The IDF suggested a potential offensive if diplomatic efforts failed to address the evolving circumstances.

Israeli authorities earlier released footage depicting the IDF conducting strikes on sites within Lebanon, specifically targeting two Hezbollah ammunition depots. The video captured smoke and debris emanating from the targeted facilities near the coastal Lebanese city of Sidon.

Aside from Sidon, the IDF also reported conducting strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in the Meiss Ej Jabal and al-Adisa areas. Online videos show flames and dense plumes of smoke rising in what appears to be a residential locality.

The strikes were a direct response to the Lebanese group launching a drone that subsequently landed in the northern Israeli city of Galilee, per the IDF. Upon responding to the incident, officers discovered a significant crater left by the drone and scattered parts of the device near a kindergarten in the vicinity.

IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari confirmed the findings in a news conference, stating: “We located an unmanned aerial vehicle from Hezbollah near Tiberias, which apparently crossed and crashed near Tiberias. In response to this activity, we attacked weapons depots near Sidon.”

Sheikh Nabil Qaouk, deputy member of Hezbollah’s executive council, meanwhile asserted that the group is actively engaged in a sustained confrontation along the border with Israel. He emphasized the Shiite organization’s commitment to preparing for unforeseen scenarios to present the enemy with unexpected challenges, Qaouk also reiterated Hezbollah’s stance, stating that there will be no ceasefire until the aggression against Gaza ceases, even in the face of external pressures.

Head over to IsraelCollapse.com for more stories about the ongoing conflicts involving Israel.

Watch this video that explains what Hezbollah actually wants.

This video is from the Cynthia’s Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.