Israel continued its policy of field targeting in the south. On Tuesday evening, it targeted Hezbollah members consisting of the “highest-ranking leader” in the town of Joya in the Tyre district. Hezb announced in a statement the death of “Commander Talib Sami Abdullah,” nicknamed “Hajj Abu Talib,” from the town of Adchit in southern Lebanon. A military source told AFP that he is the “highest-ranking leader” in the party to be killed since the escalation between Hezbollah and Israel began more than eight months ago. Hezbollah said that “his role is no less significant than that of leader Wissam Al-Tawil, who was assassinated in January.” This is the first time that Israeli warplanes have bombed the town of Joya since the beginning of the war in the south. Al Arabiya sources described the raid as the strongest blow against Hezbollah since October 7.
On Wednesday morning, the Iran-backed party retaliated with more than 50 rockets according to media channels, while the Israeli army’s spokesperson Avichay Adraee said 90 rocket-propelled grenades were detected being launched from Lebanon, adding: “Our defenses intercepted a number of them, while some fell in various locations, causing fires to break out.” The Israeli army radio reported that “this is the first-time sirens have sounded in Tiberias since last October.”
Additionally, It was reported that an Israeli drone has been shot down in Lebanon by a surface-to-air missile. If confirmed, it would be the second drone shot down in two days. Hezbollah also announced the death of the 3 other members in the raid, Ali Salim Soufan, “Kamil,” from the town of Joya, Hussein Qassem Hmeid, “Sajid,” from Bint Jbeil, and Mohammed Hussein Sabra, “Baqir”, from the town of Hadatha in southern Lebanon.
For Israel’s part, it announced that its fighters attacked a military building belonging to Hezbollah, a rocket platform, and infrastructure in Aitaroun and Mays al-Jabal. The army added in a statement that a drone targeted a cell working to launch rockets in “Deir Amas.” Moreover, an Israeli drone targeted a car between Blida and Aitaroun.
Al Arabiya announced “rocket fire towards the Israeli army’s Northern Command headquarters in Safed.” Israeli media also reported that “the army does not rule out the possibility that Hezbollah might direct swarms of drones in an expanded confrontation towards valuable targets deep within Israel.” These successive events come at a time when acting Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani stated on Wednesday, “We advise Israel not to fall into the well of Lebanon.” “We will not allow Israel to achieve its goal in Lebanon,” he added.
Two salvos of missiles were fired from Southern Lebanon in the direction of #Israel on Wednesday morning. Most of them were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system, according to the #IsraeliArmy.https://t.co/Zd7Hez8h57 pic.twitter.com/z9YjuHFkgR
— This is Beirut (@ThisIsBeirut_) June 12, 2024
