Smoke rises in Lebanon near the border with Israel as exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and the Israeli army continue, as seen in Tyre, southern Lebanon, Nov. 22 2023. (Credit: Alaa Al-Marjani/Reuters)
Five people were killed in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon Tuesday evening, including the son of Mohammad Raad, head of Hezbollah's parliamentary wing, a Hezbollah spokesperson confirmed to L'Orient Today. Three sources confirmed to Reuters that at least four people were killed, but gave no further details. The strike took place in Beit Yahoun (Bint Jbeil district).
Raad's son was "killed along with other Hezbollah members" when an Israeli strike targeted a house they were in, in the village of Beit Yahoun, a source told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Some time after, shortly before 1 a.m. on Wednesday night, Hezbollah announced the death of five of its members, including Abbas Mohammad Raad. As usual, the party did not specify when or where the militants were killed, but it seems that they all died in the same Israeli strike that killed Mohammad Raad's son. The total number of Hezbollah fighters killed since the start of the war between Hamas and Israel now stands at 84, according to our count.
Abbas Raad, the son of Hezbollah parliamentary group leader Mohammad Raad, killed in an Israeli strike. Photo released by Hezbollah.
In its announcements, Hezbollah said that Abbas Mohammad Raad was from Jbaa (Nabatieh district). It also released the names of the four other party members who were killed: Khalil Jawad Chhaymi, from Markaba (Marjeyoun district), Ahmad Hassan Moustapha from Houla (Marjeyoun district), Mohammad Hassan Ahmad Cheri, from Kherbet Selm (Bint Jbeil district) and Bassam Ali Kanjo from Chaqra (Bint Jbeil district).
Exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israel along the border broke out the day after Hamas attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7. Israel and Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and is an ally of Hamas, partook in cross-border fighting that was largely contained within a certain distance from the border, but has seen several escalations over the last 47 days. The violence has so far left around a hundred people dead in Lebanon, most of them Hezbollah fighters, but also more than a dozen civilians, including three Lebanese journalists.