Three Hezbollah terrorists were eliminated in southern Lebanon on Thursday in an unusual airstrike attributed to Israel. The Arabic-language news outlet Sky News Arabia reported that one of the terrorists was Hassan Saleh, considered to be a prominent missile expert in the Lebanese terrorist organization according to the report.
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The strike, reportedly carried out by an Israeli drone, took place during the afternoon in the village of Remen, located about 12 km from the border with Israel. No reported Israeli strikes have taken place in the area so far, unlike those that have targeted several villages in southern Lebanon amid frequent clashes between Hezbollah and the IDF since the outbreak of the war in Gaza.
A security source in Lebanon told the French news agency AFP that the drone fired two missiles aimed at one of the buildings in the village. The hit appeared to be relatively precise, with reports indicating that only one or two apartments were damaged.
The Saudi news channel Al-Hadath reported that three Hezbollah terrorists were killed in the bombing, but Hezbollah has so far only confirmed the deaths of Saleh and another operative named Hashem Abdullah.
Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, Hezbollah has officially reported the deaths of 208 of its operatives, but Israel estimates the number to be higher. The IDF has already been blamed for the elimination of several senior Hezbollah commanders, including members of the Radwan Force – the terror group’s elite unit.
The elimination attributed to Israel came hours after the IDF fired on "suspicious aerial targets" that infiltrated Israeli airspace in the Mount Dov area. The IDF confirmed the interceptions after residents in the Upper Galilee reported hearing a loud explosion. No rocket sirens were sounded. Al-Jazeera reported that two drones entered Israel from southern Lebanon.
Footage of the alleged Israeli strike
Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited IDF units stationed on Mount Hermon and sent another warning to Hezbollah, against the backdrop of international efforts to reach a diplomatic solution that would prevent war on the northern front.
"We have a simple goal in the north - to bring the residents back. In order to do that, we need to restore their sense of security, and to do so, we need to ensure this security - and that will be achieved,” he said.
“We won’t ignore this," Netanyahu said. "We’ll achieve this in one of two ways: militarily - if necessary, or diplomatically - if possible. But in any case, Hezbollah needs to understand - we will restore our security. I hope this message is understood over there."