Army veteran or Hezbollah arms smuggler: Who was the man killed Friday in Nabatieh district?

BEIRUT — While daily Israeli drone strikes usually target Hezbollah members in southern Lebanon, an attack in the Nabatieh district on Friday killed a retired Lebanese Army soldier who, according to the Israeli army, "was working to advance terrorist plans in [Israel's] northern arena."

In a statement using standard wording, the Israeli army didn't specify if the man killed was affiliated with a specific armed group active in Lebanon.

At around 3:30 p.m. on Friday, an Israeli drone fired four missiles at a car, killing retired Lebanese Army soldier Mohammad Shoeib between the villages of Nmeirieh and Sharqieh in the Nabatieh district, south of the Litani River. The use of four missiles indicates a high determination to kill the target, as Israeli drone strikes typically involve one or two missiles.

When asked whether Shoeib is a Hezbollah member, the group's spokesperson told L'Orient Today Saturday that he is a retired soldier, without elaborating further on his identity. On Friday, L'Orient Today's correspondent in the South also confirmed that he is a retired Lebanese Army soldier.

However, the invitation to Shoeib's funeral sent in local WhatsApp groups and published on the Facebook page of the Sharqieh village is signed by the party. It is expected to be held on Saturday at 6 p.m. in the village's public square.

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The party's spokesperson told L'Orient Today that "Hezbollah did not officially make the call, the people of the village did, so effectively Hezbollah." Referring to the fact that most residents in the village are likely either members or supporters of the group.

Hours after the strike on Friday, the Israeli army's spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, said that Shoeib was a "central element in planning operations inside Israel, smuggling weapons [...] for the purpose of carrying out terrorist attacks, as well as establishing terrorist infrastructure in Lebanon."

"Shoeib also served as a central link in the arms smuggling route from Iran to various areas in the northern arena and in the [West Bank], and was in contact with arms dealers in Syria and Lebanon," Adraee's statement continues, without mentioning if the man was affiliated to the party, Hamas or any other group.

Despite a cease-fire agreement signed in late November 2024 following 13 months of war between Hezbollah and Israel, the Israeli army has been carrying out airstrikes on a near-daily basis, especially in southern Lebanon, and continues to occupy five areas within Lebanese territories.