Israel Kills Elite Hezbollah Commander, But Unleashes Single Deadliest Day For Lebanese Civilians

Israel on Thursday announced that it killed a senior commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, identified as Ali al-Debs, along with at least two other fighters in his group. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the commander was taken out “in a precise air strike carried out by an IDF (Israeli army) aircraft on a Hezbollah military structure in Nabatiyeh,” in southern Lebanon on Wednesday.

By Wednesday’s end it became clear it was the single deadliest day for Lebanese civilians since the start of border fighting after Oct.7.

Via AP

Al Jazeera reports that at least ten civilians and fighters were killed, and that five among the civilians were children. “Seven of the civilians were killed in Nabatieh late on Wednesday when a rare Israeli attack on the city hit a multistorey building, sources in Lebanon said.”

“The dead were from the same extended family, and included three children,” the report continues. “A boy initially reported missing was found alive under the rubble.”

Hezbollah on Thursday warned that Israel will soon “pay the price” for the deadly day of air raids as the situation continues to rapidly escalate, after months of daily tit-for-tat drone, rocket, and mortar fire. The Iran-linked group also confirmed that three of its fighters were killed.

Tragically, a whole Lebanese immediate family was wiped out in the strikes:

Lebanon’s official National News Agency had identified five of the dead civilians in Nabatiyeh as Hussein Barjawi, his two daughters, his sister and his grandson. His wife and niece were also killed, the security source said.

Additionally, Lebanon’s official National News Agency said “Israeli warplanes targeted a house in south Lebanon’s Sawwaneh, killing three members of the same family — a Syrian woman and her child, aged two, and stepchild, 13.”

As for Hezbollah’s expected response, on Thursday there are reports that Hezbollah has launched dozens of rockets on Galilee and elsewhere in north Israel.

Hezbollah missiles have meanwhile continued to rain down on Israeli military and civilian outposts in northern Israel. Some 80,000 residents had months ago been forced to evacuate, leaving their homes for other parts of Israel. Israel has said that after months of fighting in the north, ten soldiers and six Israeli civilians have been killed, with many more injured. Just yesterday, a female soldier was killed when a Hezbollah rocket slammed into a northern base.

#Watch: IDF has been continuously striking several Hezbollah positions in the last few hours, in south Lebanon’s Blida and Maroun al-Ras. pic.twitter.com/UXkjY9pJ3c

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) February 15, 2024

On the Lebanese side, at least 259 people have died. Most are Hezbollah fighters, but among the fatalities are 40 civilians. 

Israel has been bracing for fuller war on its northern front, with defense leaders signaling they are ‘ready’ – and in Lebanon Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah is due to give a speech Friday, which will be his second this week.