2 said killed as IDF strike targets prominent Hezbollah operative in south Lebanon
Army says Abbas Ahmad Hamoud was involved in launching drones, which Katz calls ‘a red line and blatant violation of the ceasefire’
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The military carried out an airstrike in southern Lebanon on Saturday evening, saying it targeted a prominent Hezbollah operative after he “repeatedly violated” the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon over the past few weeks.
According to the Israel Defense Forces, the member of Hezbollah’s aerial forces was involved in launching drones at Israel amid the ceasefire. The operative was later named as Abbas Ahmad Hamoud by Defense Minister Israel Katz.
Lebanese media outlets reported two people were killed in the Israeli strike, which hit a car near the town of Jarjouaa in the Nabatieh District.
There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah.
“As I warned, if there are drones, there will be no Hezbollah,” Katz said in a statement.
“We will not allow drone launches toward Israel. The launch of the drones crosses a red line and is a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon,” he added.
Hezbollah’s aerial forces, known as Unit 127, are responsible for explosive-laden drone attacks on Israel and flying surveillance drones to collect intelligence. During the ceasefire, Hezbollah has fired surveillance drones at Israel, according to the IDF.
مراسل الجديد: مسيرة إسرائيلية تستهدف سيارة في محيط بلدة جرجوع pic.twitter.com/DOgdyQdOi3
— موقع النبطية (@Nabatiehorg) February 15, 2025
Saturday’s strike came as Hezbollah supporters demonstrated around the Beirut airport for a third consecutive day over a decision barring two Iranian planes from landing there, with rioters wounding UNIFIL’s outgoing deputy commander during an attack Friday on a convoy of peacekeepers.
It also came amid clashing statements about the IDF’s future in southern Lebanon.
Israel said Thursday it would remain in five key points past the deadline for withdrawal stipulated by a November ceasefire agreement, and the US signaled support for the move.
However, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri – a Hezbollah ally — said that he and the country’s president and prime minister all opposed any lingering Israeli presence.
Under the deal, Lebanon’s military was to deploy in the south alongside United Nations peacekeepers as the Israeli army withdrew over a 60-day period, which was extended until February 18. Iran-backed Hezbollah was also meant to leave its positions in the south, near the Israeli border, over that period.
As part of the agreement, Israel is entitled to act against immediate threats posed by Hezbollah but must forward complaints about longer-term threats to an oversight committee composed of representatives from the US, France, Lebanon, and the international observer force UNIFIL.
The conflict with Hezbollah — which escalated into an all-out war for some two months before the ceasefire agreement ended the major fighting — began on October 8, 2023, when the Iran-backed terror group started firing missiles and drones at Israel in solidarity with fellow terror group Hamas, which had just invaded Israel from Gaza, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. The conflict displaced tens of thousands of people in northern Israel.
Times of Israel staff and agencies contributed to this report.
