Jerusalem
A Hezbollah commander responsible for directing rocket attacks on the Israeli city of Metula has been killed in an airstrike in southern Lebanon, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported on Wednesday. Hussain Abd Al-Haleem Harb, who led Hezbollah’s operations in the Khiam region, was personally involved in launching numerous attacks against Israeli communities in the Galilee.
The airstrike comes after heightened tensions, with Hezbollah escalating its rocket and drone attacks since the Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7, 2023. On Sunday, an attack forced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cancel a visit to Metula after a drone exploded near the municipality.
Over the past day, the Israeli Air Force targeted around 70 Hezbollah and Hamas sites across Lebanon and Gaza, including weapons storage facilities and terror squads. In southern Gaza, Israeli forces killed several militants and seized significant weaponry, including anti-tank missiles and RPGs.
As part of the ongoing conflict, Hezbollah’s attacks on northern Israeli towns have displaced over 68,000 residents. Despite the restrictions imposed by UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which banned Hezbollah’s operations in southern Lebanon after the 2006 war, the group has continued its activities.
