The Israel Defense Forces announced this Thursday that they have eliminated a Hezbollah commander. According to a statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Ali Muhammad Aldbas was killed after an airstrike against the group's positions in southern Lebanon. The attack occurred between Wednesday and Thursday.
According to the IDF, two other Hezbollah commanders were also killed in said air attack. According to the Israeli military, Ali Muhammad Aldbas orchestrated the terrorist attack against the Megiddo crossing in Israel. He was also operationally responsible for other Hezbollah attacks that occurred after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.
🔴Durante la noche, un avión de las FDI alcanzó una estructura militar de Hezbolá en Nabatiye, neutralizando a varios terroristas, entre ellos: Ali Muhammad Aldbas, comandante de las Fuerzas Radwan de Hezbolá y su subcomandante, Ibrahim Issa. 1/2
— FDI (@FDIonline) February 15, 2024
Muhammad Aldbad had already escaped an initial IDF attack at the beginning of February. According to a Lebanese security source cited by AFP, a drone attack on his car failed to kill him on that occasion.
The attacked position was a building in the Lebanese city of An Nabatiya. According to AFP, the city had so far not been targeted by Israeli artillery. Since the beginning of the war against Hamas, Israeli forces and Hezbollah units have exchanged artillery, mortar and anti-armor rocket fire on the Lebanese-Israeli border.
Hezbollah responds with several missiles fired against Israel
This Thursday, hours after confirming Israel's air attack, Hezbollah confirmed that it fired several missiles against Israel in response to the death of Aldbas.
Several rockets fired from Lebanon struck Kiryat Shmona, causing damage. No immediate reports of injuries.
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) February 15, 2024
"In the first response to the massacres [in the Lebanese cities] of Nabatieh and Sawaneh, Islamic Resistance fighters fired dozens of Katiusha-type rockets at [the Israeli city] of Kiryat Shmona," which borders Lebanon, Hezbollah said in a statement reported by AFP.
Lebanon claims seven civilians killed in the attack
The Lebanese National Information Agency reported that at least seven civilians had died in the same attack that killed Aldbas. According to the Lebanese news agency, they are members of a family who lived in the building that was the target of the missile attack.
