Israeli forces eliminate Hezbollah operative in southern Lebanon amid ongoing tensions despite ceasefire agreement.
JERUSALEM: Israel’s military said Monday it had killed a Hezbollah operative in southern Lebanon, maintaining tensions in the region despite an existing ceasefire.
The Israel Defence Forces stated it “struck and eliminated Hezbollah terrorist Muhammad Ali Shuweikh in the Mansouri area in southern Lebanon” on Sunday evening.
Military officials described Shuweikh as the local Hezbollah representative responsible for communication between the militant group and area residents regarding financial and military matters.
“He was responsible for communication between the terror organisation and the residents of the area regarding financial and military subjects,” the army statement said.
The military accused Shuweikh of operating “to seize private assets for terror use” and stated his activities “constituted a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon.”
Lebanon’s health ministry confirmed the strike hit a car in Mansouri, approximately 10 kilometres from the Israeli border, and “resulted in the martyrdom of a citizen.”
Lebanon’s National News Agency reported the deceased was a school principal in Mansouri, though Israeli authorities maintained he was a Hezbollah operative.
The incident occurred despite a ceasefire agreement reached in November last year that ended more than a year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.
Separately, the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon reported Israeli soldiers shot at its troops on Sunday in southern Lebanon.
Israel’s military said it had spotted two suspects and fired warning shots, citing “poor weather conditions” and denying deliberately targeting UN personnel. – AFP
