A field commander from Hezbollah’s elite Radwan forces was reported killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon, according to two security sources on Thursday. This incident marks the latest in a series of strikes between the two sides across the border.
Habib Maatouk, who had taken over from another commander, Ali Ahmed Hassin, following his death in an Israeli strike in April, was killed in the strikes on the neighboring border villages of Safad El Battikh and Jmaijmeh, as per the sources. Eighteen wounded individuals were transported to the nearby Tebnine government hospital, confirmed its director Mohammed Hamadi to Reuters.
The exact number of fighters versus civilians among the wounded was not immediately ascertainable by Reuters.
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah cautioned in a speech on Wednesday that the organization would expand its retaliatory strikes against Israel if Israeli forces targeted more civilians.
READ MORE: Rwanda’s President Kagame Shatters His Own Election Record With Landslide Victory
Earlier on Thursday, Hamas reported that one of their commanders had been killed in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon’s West Bekaa region, while Hezbollah confirmed the death of one of its members in an Israeli strike in the southern town of Jbal El Botm.
Hezbollah launched multiple rocket and missile attacks on Israel throughout the day, including targeting the Filon military base in Israel’s Safed for the first time, the group stated.
Israel and Hezbollah have been engaged in a series of exchanges since Hezbollah announced its support for Palestinians shortly after its ally Hamas launched an attack on southern Israeli border communities on October 7, prompting Israel to respond with a military operation in Gaza.
