Israeli army claims killing Hezbollah commander in southern Lebanon

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - The Israeli army claimed on Thursday that it killed a Hezbollah field commander in an airstrike on Deir Kifa town in the district of Tyre, southern Lebanon.

A military statement said: “Fadel Ibrahim was eliminated by an Israeli aircraft in a precise strike in the area of Deir Kifa in southern Lebanon.”

“As part of his role, Ibrahim was responsible for planning and carrying out terror attacks against Israel and commanding Hezbollah ground forces in the area of Jouaiyya,” the statement added.

In a related incident, the army reported: “A Hezbollah surface-to-air missile launcher that posed a threat to aircraft operating over Lebanon was struck by Israeli fighter jets in the area of Rihan.”

Earlier in the day, Hezbollah said that Ibrahim was killed near the Lebanese border, bringing the group’s death toll to 347 since Oct. 8.

According to reports from the Lebanese official news agency, one person was killed on Thursday in a drone strike launched by Israel on a car traveling from Deir Kifa towards Srifa in southern Lebanon.

The airstrike resulted in the death of one person, confirmed the agency.

The Israeli army said Tuesday that it approved operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon amid rising border tensions with Hezbollah.

Tensions have soared along Lebanon's border with Israel amid cross-border attacks between Hezbollah and Israeli forces as Tel Aviv pressed ahead with its deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed over 37,400 people since last Oct. 7.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio