Israeli Airstrike Kills Hezbollah Member in Southern Lebanon

An Israeli airstrike targeted a vehicle in southern Lebanon on Sunday, killing a member of the Hezbollah militant group, according to Lebanese officials. The attack occurred in the Abu Al-Aswad area near the city of Sidon, about 40 kilometers from the border with Israel.

The Lebanese official news agency NNA reported that the airstrike killed Hussein Azqoul, a key member of Hezbollah's air defense unit. Israeli warplanes also carried out three overnight raids on the Jabal Abou Rached area in the Jezzine town and three others on the outskirts of Yaroun town in southern Lebanon.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed conducting a targeted strike on the vehicle, stating that it killed Azqoul and another unnamed senior Hezbollah terrorist. The IDF said fighter jets also attacked a Hezbollah military building and other terrorist infrastructure in the Yaroun area at the same time.

Why this matters: The airstrike comes amid escalating tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border, with near-daily cross-border exchanges of fire between the Israeli army and Iran-backed Hezbollah since a war began in October 2023. The ongoing conflict has resulted in hundreds of deaths in Lebanon and Israel, raising concerns about the potential for a wider regional confrontation.

On Saturday, Hezbollah launched a barrage of around 35 rockets from Lebanon towards the northern Israeli city of Safed, targeting the Jewish community of Ein Zeitim as Jewish Israelis were observing the Passover Seder meal. Hezbollah claimed responsibility and said it fired the rockets in response to Israeli raids on villages in southern Lebanon.

Since the war began, at least 376 people have been killed in Lebanon, mostly Hezbollah fighters but also 70 civilians, while 10 soldiers and 8 civilians have been killed on the Israeli side, according to officials. The IDF believes eliminating Hezbollah's remaining stronghold in the southern city of Rafah will require a ground incursion.

The airstrike that killed Azqoul was part of the IDF's ongoing operations targeting Hezbollah positions and infrastructure in southern Lebanon. An IDF statement said the strike was in response to the rocket attack on Ein Zeitim and Hezbollah's continued aggression. The Lebanese government condemned the airstrike as a violation of its sovereignty but has struggled to rein in Hezbollah's cross-border attacks.

Key Takeaways

• Israeli airstrike killed Hezbollah member Hussein Azqoul in southern Lebanon.
• Israel also conducted airstrikes on Hezbollah military targets in southern Lebanon.
• Tensions escalating along Israel-Lebanon border with cross-border exchanges since Oct 2023.
• Hezbollah launched rocket attack on northern Israel, prompting Israeli retaliation.
• Hundreds killed in Lebanon and Israel since the conflict began in October 2023.