IDF says it killed Hezbollah commander in drone strike in southern Lebanon
Military says commander of Hezbollah forces in Beaufort Castle area was involved in restoring Hezbollah’s capabilities in the area, in violation of ceasefire
The Israel Defense Force said Saturday that it killed a Hezbollah commander in a drone strike in Lebanon. Local authorities also confirmed one person had been killed.
The operative, who was targeted on a road near Mazraat Jemjim — some 30 kilometers from the Israeli border — in the Tyre District, was the commander of Hezbollah’s forces in the Beaufort Castle area, the military said.
According to the IDF, the commander was involved in restoring Hezbollah’s capabilities in the area.
Earlier this month, the IDF struck a major Hezbollah facility near Beaufort Castle.
“Restoring terror infrastructure and the activity there constitutes a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon,” the military added.
The IDF published footage of the strike.
מוקדם יותר היום, צה"ל תקף באמצעות כלי טיס וחיסל במרחב בלטת אל-גמגים שבלבנון, מפקד בגזרת שקיף בארגון הטרור חיזבאללה, אשר עסק בנסיונות שיקום של תשתיות טרור של הארגון במרחב.
שיקום תשתיות טרור והפעילות בהן מהווים הפרה של ההבנות בין ישראל ללבנון pic.twitter.com/2xb7xksyFJ
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) May 17, 2025
An AFP correspondent saw the charred wreckage of a vehicle in the Abu al-Aswad area.
Israel has continued to launch strikes on Hezbollah targets, seen as violating the November 27 truce, which sought to halt more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah, including two months of full-blown war.
The fighting started when Hezbollah began launching rockets into Israel the day after the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre and only agreed to halt after Israel decimated the group and killed much of its top leadership.
Under the ceasefire, the Iran-backed Hezbollah was to pull back its fighters north of Lebanon’s Litani River and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure to its south.
Israel was to withdraw all its forces from Lebanon, but it has kept troops in five areas that it deems “strategic.”
Earlier this week, the Israeli military said three separate strikes in south Lebanon targeted Hezbollah operatives.
Lebanon says it has respected its ceasefire commitments and has urged the international community to pressure Israel to end its attacks and withdraw all its troops.
The Times of Israel Community.