Illustrative image. (The Israeli Defense Forces)
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed responsibility for a drone strike that hit southern Lebanon on March 8, saying that the target was an operative of Hezbollah.
Lebanese media reported that the Israeli drone strike hit a vehicle between the towns of Khirbet Selm and al-Jumayjimah. A man killed in the strike was later identified as Ali Hassan Shahla, also known as Abu Dharr, from the southern Lebanese town of Markaba.
In a statement, the IDF alleged that the slain man was “involved in the rehabilitation of terror infrastructure and directing Hezbollah terror operations in southern Lebanon.”
There was no comment on the deadly strike by Hezbollah. In addition, the group didn’t confirm or deny that Abu Dharr was one of its members.
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Just a day earlier, a wave of more than 20 Israeli strikes hit southern Lebanon. The IDF said that military sites of Hezbollah were targeted. In addition, two Lebanese civilians from the Hezbollah-linked Jihad al-Bina organization were killed and a Syrian national was critically wounded after being shot by Israeli troops near the border.
A ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States last November was supposed to end all clashes on the Israeli-Lebanese border by February 18. Nevertheless, the IDF continues to operate against Hezbollah under the pretext of neutralizing threats to Israel security.
Hezbollah went into the conflict with Israel more than 14 months ago to support the Gaza Strip. The group lost most of its leadership and sustained heavy losses in personnel and equipment. The largest blow to the group was however the loss of the detrance established after the war of 2006.
There is no doubt that Hezbollah is now suffering on all levels, especially after its supply routes through Syria were cut off with the collapse of the Assad regime. Still, it is too early to count the group completely out of the power balance in the region.
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