In Jmaijmeh, South Lebanon, Bint Jbeil district, a three-story building was reduced to ashes by an Israeli airstrike on Thursday evening, July 18, 2024, killing two Hezbollah soldiers. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine/L'Orient-Le Jour)
What do we know about the Jmaijmeh attack?
Thursday evening, Israeli airstrikes targeted several areas in the Marjayoun and Bint Jbeil districts in southern Lebanon. The strikes, reported shortly before 8:15 p.m., targeted Mais al-Jabal in Marjayoun and Shaqra in Bint Jbeil, east of Tibnin. Our correspondent in the region, Muntasser Abdallah, confirmed that there were no casualties
However, a few minutes later, Israeli aircraft struck and completely destroyed a three-story home in Jmaijmeh (Bint Jbeil), resulting in the deaths of two Hezbollah members and injuries to 19 civilians. Nearby homes sustained damage.
Jmaijmeh is situated in a triangle with the adjacent villages of Safad al-Battikh (Bint Jbeil) and Majdal Selm (Marjayoun), north of Tibnin.
The Israeli army's Arabic-speaking spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, announced on X that the military had conducted two airstrikes: one targeting Hezbollah's al-Radwan special forces command in Jmaijmeh and another hitting a Hezbollah post in Majdal Selm.
However, according to information gathered by our correspondent, Hezbollah typically does not establish command posts in southern Lebanon, preferring instead to hold meetings at members' homes. The two Hezbollah members killed were present in the apartment building that was targeted. This accounts for the significant number of civilian injuries, both within the building and in nearby homes
Who are the killed Hezbollah members?
The two Hezbollah members killed in the airstrike on Jmaijmeh were identified as Ali Jaafar Maatouk and Mohammad Hassan Moustafa. Their deaths were announced by the party, which typically refrains from detailing the circumstances, stating only that they were "martyred on the road to Jerusalem."
According to two separate Hezbollah press releases, Hezbollah fighter Ali Jaafar Maatouk was born in 1978 in Sir al-Gharbiyeh (Nabatiyeh) and Mohammad Hassan Moustafa was born in 1987, in Aitaroun (Bint Jbeil).
The Israeli army claimed responsibility for the assassination of the two Hezbollah fighters, stating that Ali Maatouk was "responsible for operations of Hezbollah's al-Radwan force in the Hojair sector," and Mohammad Moustafa was "another commander who was with him."
According to our sources, Maatouk was "an operational manager in the field." Information regarding Moustafa's specific role within the party is not yet available.
The Israeli spokesperson also announced that "other members of the force who were in the targeted building have been eliminated."
Hussein Fakih, head of the regional Civil Defense office, had initially indicated to L'Orient Today on Thursday evening that there might be four buried victims, however, rescuers recovered only two bodies in total.
How many civilians were affected by the Israeli airstrike?
Nineteen civilians, including six women and two children aged 11 and 12, were injured in homes near the attack site. According to medical and security sources cited by our correspondent, 10 of the lightly wounded individuals have returned home after treatment, while nine others are still receiving treatment at Tebnin Hospital and other regional medical facilities.
How did Hezbollah respond?
So far, the party has announced three strikes in response to that attack specifically — two of which targeted new sites.
The first involved a "salvo of Katyusha rockets" on Abirim, an Israeli position not previously targeted by Hezbollah and located about 8 kilometers from the border, opposite the Lebanese town of Marwahine (Tyre). The second strike targeted Neve Ziv, also with Katyusha rockets and situated similarly to Abirim, opposite Alma al-Shaab (Sour). The third strike hit "three settlements targeted for the first time": Abirim, Neve Ziv, and Manot. According to Hezbollah, these settlements were struck by "dozens of Katyusha rockets."
The party added in its statement, 'The resistance promises its people that any aggression against civilians will be retaliated against in new settlements."
Hezbollah's statements typically contain information about the strikes carried out without threats like the one expressed in this afternoon's message. This warning echoes a threat made in a recent speech by Hezbollah's Secretary General, Hassan Nasrallah, who asserted last Wednesday that the party was ready to target new positions and localities.
Hezbollah announced its ninth attack of the day on Israel, using exploding drones to target the headquarters of the Western Brigade south of Yara, approximately 10 kilometers from the Lebanese-Israeli border. The party claimed the attack resulted in injuries.