Lebanese officials, political figures condemn Israel's assassination of Hamas commander in Saida

The assassination of Hamas commander Samer al-Hage in Saida on Friday has triggered strong condemnations from local officials and political figures. Hage was killed when an Israeli drone targeted his vehicle on a busy street of the southern Lebanese city. The strike also injured two civilians.

In a statement, Hamas mourned the loss of Hage, describing him as "a martyr on the path to Jerusalem" during the ongoing "Al-Aqsa Flood" battle. The movement called on its members and supporters to "maintain a sense of responsibility and refrain from firing shots during the funeral, reserving their efforts and ammunition for the struggle against the Zionist enemy."

Saida's mayor, Hazem Khodr Bdeir, denounced the Israeli airstrike, calling it a flagrant violation of Lebanon's sovereignty. “The Israeli enemy continues its violations, showing no regard for international laws and conventions,” Bdeir said. He urged residents to remain vigilant, warning that "the phase is sensitive and requires all efforts to be united in the face of these aggressions."

MP Osama Saad (Independent/Saida), the secretary-general of the Popular Nasserist Organization, extended his condolences to Hamas and the Palestinian people, particularly those in Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp where Hage served as a key security figure. Saad emphasized Saida’s historic role in resisting Israeli occupation, saying, "Saida has made enormous sacrifices for its liberation from Israeli occupation, and today, it pays the price for standing with the Palestinian struggle." He added, "These repeated attacks will only strengthen our determination to confront the Zionist aggression and support the Palestinian cause."

 MP Abdul Rahman Bizri (Independent/Saida) condemned the airstrike, calling it "a clear and blatant attack on Lebanese sovereignty." He noted, “Saida, as the capital of the South and a fortress of the Palestinian diaspora, will only grow more resilient and united in its belief in the just Palestinian cause.” Bizri also urged the Lebanese government to fulfill its duties in confronting Israel's actions, emphasizing the need for "coordinated political, diplomatic, and media efforts to protect Lebanon and its sovereignty."

During a ceremony in Erqi, near Saida, Hezbollah MP Hussein Hajj Hasan (Baalbeck-Hermel) commented on Hage's killing, saying, "Assassinations have never succeeded in pushing the resistance movement backward. With each martyr, our project advances further, achieving victories and dealing blows to the enemy." He added that Israel's leaders are suffering from "illusions" and "contradictory statements," which he claimed are signs of a weakening state.

Hage's assassination underscores the heightened tensions in southern Lebanon and the ongoing conflict in the region, with local leaders calling for unity and vigilance as the situation continues to escalate.

Hezbollah is expected to respond to the killing last month of its military commander Fouad Shokur in Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, as the party and Israel continue to exchange attacks daily across the Lebanon-Israel border.