Israeli military officials announced on Monday that they have killed a prominent Hezbollah commander, Abu Ali Rida, who was accused of orchestrating rocket and anti-tank missile attacks against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon. The military confirmed that Rida was “eliminated” in an airstrike but did not provide specific details about the timing of his death.
According to the Israeli military, Rida was responsible for planning and executing attacks on IDF (Israel Defense Forces) troops and overseeing the activities of Hezbollah operatives in the Baraachit area.
The announcement comes as Israel intensifies its military operations against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon following the outbreak of war between the two groups in late September. On the same day, Hezbollah claimed to have launched a significant rocket barrage at the northern Israeli city of Safed, marking another escalation in the ongoing hostilities.
In recent weeks, Israel has reportedly targeted several of Hezbollah’s senior military commanders, including former leader Hassan Nasrallah. The conflict escalated after a year of skirmishes along the border, with Hezbollah frequently firing rockets into northern Israel in support of Hamas in Gaza. This escalation follows a major attack by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7, which has led to Israel’s most intense military engagement in Gaza to date.