Three Hezbollah members killed by Israel in southern Lebanon, multiple retaliation from the party

Hezbollah lost three of its members on Monday in Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon. According to L'Orient-Le Jour's count, this brings to 329 the total number of party members killed since Oct. 8 in Lebanon and Syria.

In the middle of the day, an Israeli drone targeted a car in the Kauthariyet al-Rez area, in the Saida district, killing a Hezbollah fighter. Ali Hussein Sabra, born in 1975 in Beirut and a resident of Bablieh, in the Sour district, was killed, according to a party statement issued later. Security sources told L'Orient-Le Jour's correspondent that he was a “military cadre” of the party.

The Times of Israel quoted the Israeli army as saying that “Hussein Sabra” was a member of a Hezbollah unit and “involved in efforts to improve the party's air defense unit.”

Two other Hezbollah members were killed in a drone strike on a motorcycle in Naqoura (Sour) in the afternoon. They were Hussein Nassereddine, born in 1980 in Abassiyeh (Sour) and Mohammad Shkeir, born in 1996 and originally from Ghazieh, near Saida, as announced by the party in two separate statements.

Remote-controlled missiles, one-way drones

In retaliation for the Israeli attack on Kauthariyet al-Rez (Saida), Hezbollah carried out an aerial suicide drone attack on an Israeli Galilee command headquarters in Dishon, near Malkia in northern Israel. The party said it had targeted the headquarters' main building as well as “positions of Israeli officers and soldiers,” claiming to have killed and wounded among them and caused a fire.

Hezbollah also claimed responsibility for a “guided missile strike” on an Israeli patrol near the “Jabal Adather” position, opposite the Lebanese town of Rmaish (Bint Jbeil). This strike, according to the party, “destroyed a military vehicle, which caught fire” and caused “deaths and injuries.” It also claimed responsibility for a 2 p.m. suicide drone attack on the Israeli town of Metulla, opposite the Lebanese town of Khiam (Marjayoun).

Throughout the day, the party claimed responsibility for several other attacks, including one on Israeli artillery positions in Za'oura, northern Israel, using dozens of Katyusha missiles. At 1:35 p.m., it carried out an attack on Israeli soldiers deployed at the “Khallet Warda” site, opposite the Lebanese village of Aiuta al-Shaab (Bint Jbeil), and shortly before, against “surveillance equipment at the Malkia site,” opposite Houla (Marjayoun). It also claims to have targeted a group of Israeli soldiers in the Shtula forest, in northern Israel, at 5:30 p.m.

The Israeli army reported that around 30 rockets were launched from Lebanon towards the northern Golan Heights, exploding in an open area. According to Haaretz, one explosive drone from Lebanon was intercepted and another exploded in an open area in Israel. Another drone from Lebanon exploded in Metoula, and the air force attacked “a suspicious target from Lebanon,” according to the daily. The Israeli army said there were no casualties in these incidents.

'Panic-stricken' schoolchildren

On Monday morning, security sources reported that four Israeli artillery shells targeted the outskirts of Naqoura (Sour) and that the Israeli air force twice bombed the outskirts of Hanine (Bint Jbeil), targeting a house in particular. An Israeli drone bombed Aita al-Shaab (Bint Jbeil), according to local residents, who said the strike targeted an area near the local technical school. Israeli fighter jets bombed the Jabbour Heights in Iqlim al-Tuffah, said a security source.

Israeli aircraft also bombed Jabal Rihan and Aaishieh, in the Jezzine district. At a school close to the bombed area, pupils were “panic-stricken,” according to the school's headmistress, Amal Wahab. “Unfortunately, this has become part of our daily life and the children have to live in fear.” On Jan. 25, the same school had to be evacuated after nearby Israeli strikes. Israel also bombed Maydoun, in the western Bekaa, according to local residents. Shortly afterward, in the same region, the sound barrier was breached by Israeli aircraft firing incendiary balloons.

Israeli artillery fired on the outskirts of Alma al-Shaab (Sour), causing fires in the area, according to local residents. It also targeted a house in the village of Shebaa in the Hasbaya district, the village of Naqoura in the Sour district and the outskirts of Kfar Hamam and Halta in the Hasbaya district.

Sunday night

Sunday night was marked by numerous exchanges of fire and a series of forest fires resulting from the Israeli attacks. The Civil Defense of the Islamic Mission Scouts (affiliated with the Amal movement) said it had extinguished fires in the localities of Deir Siriane, Taybeh and Adaisseh (Marjayoun). Fires also broke out around Yarine (Sour), in the Khiam area, Houla (Marjayoun) and Kounine (Bint Jbeil), according to information from L'Orient-Le Jour's correspondent in the South.

According to a press release from the Islamic Health Committee (affiliated with Hezbollah), the fire in Houla was caused by “artillery fire and white phosphorus bombs.” According to the organization, the team was targeted by artillery fire, which slowed down its operations. The Lebanese Civil Defense reported that it had extinguished a fire in Ramieh (Bint Jbeil). These fires caused the explosion of still-buried landmines, but no casualties were reported. 

This article originally appeared in French in L'Orient-Le Jour.