Israeli military says Hezbollah commander killed in strike in Lebanon

The Israeli military said on February 9 that it carried out an airstrike earlier in the day in the area of Yanouh, southern Lebanon, targeting Ahmad Ali Salami, whom it identified as a senior Hezbollah artillery commander in the area.

According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Salami had been involved in multiple attacks against Israeli forces during the ongoing conflict and was recently working to rebuild Hezbollah’s artillery capabilities from within civilian areas, Caliber.Az reports. 

The IDF said it was aware of reports that civilians not involved in the fighting were killed in the strike. It stated that measures were taken in advance to reduce civilian harm, including the use of precision-guided munitions and aerial surveillance, and added that the incident is under review. The military expressed regret for any harm to civilians.

The IDF also said that Salami’s activities violated ceasefire understandings between Israel and Lebanon, and reiterated that it would continue operations it says are aimed at addressing threats to Israel.

By Sabina Mammadli