A top Hezbollah leader, Hassan Khalil Yassin, was killed in a precise Israeli airstrike on Saturday in Beirut’s southern suburbs, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed.
Yassin, who led an intelligence division within Hezbollah responsible for identifying Israeli military and civilian targets, was “eliminated” as part of ongoing Israeli military operations targeting the militant group.
The strike occurred just a day after Israel claimed responsibility for killing Hezbollah's Secretary General, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, in a separate air raid. Hezbollah later confirmed Nasrallah’s death, stating that he had "joined his great, immortal martyr comrades whom he led for about 30 years."
In addition to Yassin, another senior Hezbollah figure, Nabil Qaouk, Vice President of the group's Executive Council, was also targeted. However, details about his condition remain unclear.
The Israeli military announced that it had conducted a “precise strike” in the Dahiyeh area of Beirut, which is a known Hezbollah stronghold. “The IDF conducted a precise strike in the Dahiyeh area of Beirut. Details to follow,” said an official statement. Lebanese sources reported that the attack also hit a warehouse near Beirut airport, Lebanon’s primary international air travel hub.
Since Friday night, the IDF has launched over 140 strikes on Hezbollah positions in Lebanon. This marks the fiercest bombardment of southern Beirut since the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, with Lebanese officials confirming that the death toll has now surpassed 700 people.
The strikes are part of a broader escalation by Israel, which has vowed to cripple Hezbollah’s infrastructure after 11 months of cross-border attacks that Hezbollah described as support for Hamas in Gaza. Israeli officials have stressed the importance of neutralizing Hezbollah’s leadership and operational capabilities to prevent further strikes on Israeli soil.
In the coming days, further developments are expected as tensions continue to mount between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, raising concerns of a broader regional conflict.