Israel says it killed Hezbollah intelligence chief
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Israeli army announced on Monday that it had killed the head of intelligence of Lebanon’s Hezbollah in Beirut, following overnight strikes exchanged between the two sides, while Israel’s defense minister warned that Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem is now a “target for elimination.”
In a statement, the Israeli army said, “A short while ago, the Israeli army precisely targeted a senior Hezbollah terrorist in Beirut.” It later confirmed that the target was the head of Hezbollah’s intelligence apparatus.
The announcement came after Hezbollah launched overnight strikes toward northern Israel, according to the Israeli military, which said the operation in Beirut was carried out “in response.”
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz published a warning stating that Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem has now become a “target for elimination.”
On the Lebanese side, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced “the immediate ban on Hezbollah’s security and military activities and the restriction of its work to the political sphere.”
Hezbollah has not immediately issued an official statement regarding the Israeli announcement.
Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, has been engaged in cross-border hostilities with Israel since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, with repeated exchanges of fire along the Lebanese-Israeli border.