From the Liveblog of
Thursday, March 5, 2026
IDF says it killed top Hezbollah commander in Wednesday Beirut strikes
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
A top Hezbollah commander was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut yesterday, the military announces.
According to the IDF, Zaid Ali Jumaa was responsible for Hezbollah’s “firepower management” and served as the head of its artillery forces in southern Lebanon.
“As part of his role, Jumaa was responsible for launching thousands of rockets, missiles, and drones toward the State of Israel from Lebanese territory,” the military says.
The IDF says that he held other key roles in Hezbollah over the years, and also fought alongside the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria during the civil war.
As commander of the Khiam area in south Lebanon, the IDF says Jumaa led a deadly 2015 anti-tank missile attack against Israeli troops, during which two soldiers — Maj. Yochai Kalangel and Staff Sgt. Dor Chaim Nini — were killed.
צה"ל חיסל את מפקד ניהול כוח האש של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה בביירות
חיל האוויר בהכוונת אמ״ן, תקף אתמול במרחב ביירות וחיסל את המחבל זיד עלי ג'מעה, אחראי ניהול כוח האש של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה ואחראי הארטילריה בדרום לבנון.
מתוקף תפקידו, ג׳מעה היה אמון על שיגור אלפי רקטות, טילים וכלי… pic.twitter.com/9q52Ax6W6C
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) March 5, 2026
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