Car attacked by Israeli drone in southern Lebanon's Naquora, according to Arab media
The three casualties of an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon's Naqoura on Saturday were members of an Iran-affiliated militia that has been fighting against Israel alongside the Lebanon-based Hezbollah terrorist group.
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The Imam Hossein Division was established in 2016 by the then-commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' elite Quds Force, Qasem Soleiman, who was killed in a U.S. strike in early 2020, and comprises thousands of operatives from all across the Middle East.
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Car attacked by Israeli drone in southern Lebanon's Naquora, according to Arab media
(Photo: AFP)
According to Iranian media reports, the militia is primarily made up of Syrians but includes members from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and Lebanon among its ranks. It was established originally to fight Islamic State forces and ordinarily operates inside Syria.
Hezbollah claimed the three men who were killed in the Israeli drone strike were residents of southern Lebanon.
IDF drone footage of drone attack on vehicle carrying Imam Hossein Division operatives in Naquora
(Video: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
The IDF said it had observed attacks launched by the militia since the war began. IDF Arabic Spokesperson Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee said in November that the militia had arrived in Lebanon to assist Hezbollah and was taking part in altercations along the border. The military identified Dhu al-Faqar as the commander of the force and posted a forensic sketch of him on social media.
"Hezbollah and the Imam Hossein militia are dragging Lebanon into paying dearly on behalf of Hamas and ISIS," Adraee said in an X post. "The IDF is on alert to respond with force against anyone attempting to threaten security in the north."
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Sketch of commander Imam Hossein Division Dhu al-Faqar shared by IDF Arabic spokesperson
A Washington-based Middle East think tank described the militia as one of the largest established by the Quds Force to serve the interests of Iran, Lebanon and the Assad regime in Syria. It is estimated to number some 6,000 fighters.
Members of the militia have been embedded in the Syria Golan Heights since 2018 and have been operating from Lebanon since the war began.