Israeli Airstrike Kills Senior Hezbollah Commander in Southern Lebanon
In a significant escalation of tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that it has killed Abbas Hassan Karky, a senior Hezbollah commander, in a targeted airstrike in southern Lebanon’s Nabatieh region.
According to the IDF statement released on Friday, Karky served as the logistics commander of Hezbollah’s Southern Front headquarters and played a key role in rebuilding the group’s military capabilities over recent months. The Israeli military accused Karky of restoring Hezbollah’s infrastructure and overseeing the transfer and storage of weapons in the south following last year’s hostilities.
“He led and advanced efforts to rebuild Hezbollah’s combat infrastructure and manage weapons logistics,” the IDF said, adding that his activities constituted a violation of the ongoing ceasefire agreement.
Lebanon’s National News Agency confirmed that an Israeli airstrike struck a vehicle in Nabatieh, killing Karky instantly. A Lebanese security official told Xinhua News Agency that Karky was indeed a Hezbollah official, though declined to share additional details.
Local media outlets reported that Karky was related to Ali Karaki, the former chief of Hezbollah’s Southern Front, who was assassinated alongside long-time Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah last year.
The latest assassination follows a series of Israeli operations across Lebanon. On Thursday, Israel conducted strikes targeting Hezbollah arms depots and training camps, resulting in the deaths of four individuals, including an elderly woman, according to Lebanese authorities.
Earlier this week, Israel also claimed responsibility for killing a platoon commander from Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, accusing him of smuggling weapons and planning future attacks on Israeli territory.
A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, brokered in November 2024, has largely held since the Gaza conflict, though both sides have occasionally engaged in limited exchanges. The IDF maintains that its recent operations are “defensive actions” against active threats from Hezbollah positions along the border.
The assassination of Karky marks another blow to Hezbollah’s leadership structure, as Israel continues its campaign to weaken the militant group’s presence and operational strength in Lebanon.
News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
