After a relative calm in southern Lebanon, an Israeli drone attack on Monday morning targeted the vehicle of a Palestinian Hamas leader who had previously been targeted with two missiles between Haret Saida and the town of Abra.
Initial reports suggest that Nidal Hleihel was the intended target and that he survived the attack.
Annahar Newspaper reported that Hleihel was shot “while exiting his residence and making his way to his vehicle, causing severe injuries to his legs.”
السيارة المستهدفة في صيدا pic.twitter.com/kcbQ9jSOyJ
— kataeb.org (@kataeb_Ar) August 26, 2024
Earlier, Israeli strikes targeted Alma al-Shaab and Tayr Harfa, without causing casualties. A drone launched a targeted missile strike at the Litani River, located between the municipalities of Zawtar al-Sharqiya and Deir Siryan. Israeli spy planes also conducted surveillance over villages in the Tyre caza.
The Israeli Ministry of Defense released a video on its X account showcasing Sunday’s attacks on Hezbollah’s locations in southern Lebanon, including footage of a combat helicopter intercepting a drone, radio communications during the strikes, and aircraft being refueled in Lebanese airspace. The video also features both an F-35 plane and a combat helicopter.
Yesterday, the Israeli military declared that “almost 100 fighter jets were involved in the airstrikes,” which thwarted a “major attack” planned by Hezbollah. The Israeli military also mentioned that “a large number of Hezbollah rocket launchers had been destroyed,” in contrast to the 6,000 that were previously reported.
Moreover, diplomats informed Reuters that “Israel and Hezbollah communicated after the dawn attacks on Sunday” – which lasted only four hours – indicating that “neither side wanted an escalation.
