Israeli airstrike kills key Hezbollah leader in southern Lebanon

On the afternoon of November 26, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) announced that the Israeli Air Force had successfully targeted and eliminated Hezbollah commander Ahmad Sabhi Hazima in the Tyre region of southern Lebanon.

Hazima, who was the head of Hezbollah's coastal sector operations unit, was responsible for orchestrating numerous attacks on northern Israel, Caliber.Az reports via Israeli media.

Prior to Israel's ground operation in Lebanon, he had reportedly planned infiltration attempts into Israeli territory and had overseen anti-tank missile assaults on communities in the north.

Before assuming his current role, Hazima had served as deputy to the previous head of Hezbollah's coastal sector operations, who was also killed by the IDF earlier this month.

The IDF stated that Hazima's elimination significantly hinders Hezbollah's ability to carry out terrorist activities from southern Lebanon, particularly against Israeli civilians living along the northern border.

To recap, an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in central Beirut on November 23 killed at least 20 people and injured 66, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. The attack targeted the Basta neighbourhood, which is home to both Sunni and Shiite Muslims and close to Western embassies.

Israeli officials claimed the strike aimed to assassinate Hezbollah commander Mohammad Haidar, though Hezbollah denied his presence at the site. This was the third strike in central Beirut this week, as Israel intensified its military campaign in southern Lebanon.

The ongoing conflict has claimed over 3,500 lives and displaced a quarter of Lebanon's population.

By Aghakazim Guliyev