Senior Hezbollah commander killed in Israeli strike on south Lebanon

An Israeli air strike on the outskirts of Tyre in southern Lebanon has killed a senior field commander in the Lebanese military group Hezbollah.

In a statement, Hezbollah mourned the death of Mohammad Nehmeh Nasser, known as Hajj Abu Nehmeh, who hailed from the southern Lebanese town of Haddatha.

Security sources told Reuters that Nasser held the same rank and significance within the group as Taleb Abdallah, who Israel killed in June. Abdallah was the highest-ranking Hezbollah commander killed since near-daily border clashes began between the group and Israel on 8 October.

In retaliation, Hezbollah launched its largest barrage of drones and rockets into Israel, vowing to respond to Israeli attacks with increased intensity.

Nasser was reportedly responsible for a portion of Hezbollah’s operations along the border with Israel. He led the Aziz Unit, one of the three regional divisions in southern Lebanon.

Recent weeks have seen an escalation in rhetoric from both Hezbollah and Israel as tensions on the border have risen and ceasefire talks in Gaza continue to falter.

In a recent interview with the Associated Press, Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Naim Kassem, said that only a complete ceasefire in Gaza would cause the group to halt hostilities with Israel “without any discussion”.

However, he noted that the situation would be less clear if Israel merely scaled back its operations in the besieged Palestinian enclave.

“If what happens in Gaza is a mix between ceasefire and no ceasefire, war and no war, we can’t answer [how we would react] now because we don’t know its shape, its results, its impacts,” Kassem said.

In Israel, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said that while his country prefers a diplomatic solution, it is prepared to take any action necessary against the Lebanese group.

“We are striking Hezbollah very hard every day, and we will also reach a state of full readiness to take any action required in Lebanon or to reach an arrangement from a position of strength. We prefer an arrangement. But if reality forces us, we will know how to fight,” he said in a statement issued by his office.

Since 7 October 2023, Israel has killed over 450 people in Lebanon, according to the AP. The majority of these casualties were fighters, but dozens of civilians have also been killed. On the Israeli side, 16 soldiers and 11 civilians have been killed.

Tens of thousands of people remain displaced on both sides of the border.

Diplomatic efforts from several countries, including the US and Germany, are ongoing to prevent an escalation of the conflict.