Israel claims to have killed another senior Hezbollah official
The Israeli military said it had killed another senior Hezbollah official, Nabil Qaouk, who served on the group's Central Council.
The incident comes after West Jerusalem recently assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and claimed to have eliminated most of the group's military leaders.
In a statement on September 29, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said an airstrike the previous day had “hit and killed terrorist” Qaouk, who also commanded Hezbollah’s Preventive Security Unit.
The IDF said Mr Qaouk was “considered close to the highest levels” of Hezbollah and “directly involved in promoting terrorist acts against the State of Israel and its citizens, even in recent days”.
The IDF added that the Hezbollah official joined the group in the 1980s and held several executive positions in southern Lebanon.
“The IDF continues to strike and eliminate Hezbollah terrorist organization commanders, and to act against anyone who threatens the citizens of the State of Israel,” the statement added.
Hezbollah has yet to comment on Israel's statement.
Earlier on September 28, Israel carried out an airstrike on a Hezbollah compound in Beirut, killing Nasrallah, a longtime enemy of the Jewish state. Officials in West Jerusalem also said more than a dozen senior Hezbollah military figures had been killed in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, ABC News reported over the weekend, citing US officials, that Israel may soon launch a “very limited” incursion into southern Lebanon. While the news agency did not provide details on the timeframe or exact target of the operation, the area is frequently used by Hezbollah to launch rockets across the border and is considered a hub for the group’s other military operations.