Hezbollah commander responsible for rocket attacks on Metula killed in airstrike

A Hezbollah commander who directed multiple rocket attacks on the northern Israeli city of Metula was killed in an airstrike in southern Lebanon, the Israel Defense Forces said Wednesday morning.

Hussein Abd al-Halim Harb, who commanded the terrorist group’s Khiyam region, directed and personally carried out several rocket attacks against Israeli communities in the Galilee, particularly Metula.

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was forced to cancel a visit to the city when a drone exploded near the municipality shortly before his/her arrival.

The previous day, the air force struck about 70 Hezbollah and Hamas targets in Lebanon and Gaza, including terrorist cells, missile launchers, weapons storage facilities and other infrastructure.

Meanwhile, troops in the Gaza area south of Rafah killed several militants and recovered a large quantity of weapons, including RPG missiles, explosives and anti-tank missiles.

Following the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, Hezbollah began firing rockets and launching drones on northern Israel communities daily. More than 68,000 residents of northern Israel have been displaced from their homes. Hezbollah leaders have repeatedly said they will continue attacks to prevent Israelis from returning to their homes.

In accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the Second Lebanon War in 2006, the terrorist group is banned from operating in southern Lebanon.

On October 7, Hamas attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border killed at least 1,200 people and took 252 Israelis and foreigners hostage.

Of the 97 remaining hostages, more than 30 have been declared dead.

Hamas also held captive from 2014 and 2015 the bodies of two Israeli civilians and two soldiers killed in 2014.