Mohamad al-Tahan. Source: Hezbollah Military Media.
Israel and Lebanon may be heading to a serious confrontation after the killing of a Lebanese citizen by the Israeli military.
The victim, Mohamad al-Tahan from the southern Lebanese town of Aadloun, was protesting along with hundreds of Lebanese and Palestinians against Israeli’s ongoing attack on the Gaza Strip on the separation line with Israel.
The Israeli attack on Palestinian factions in Gaza began on May 10th. So far, more than 100 people, including children, have been killed.
According to Lebanese sources, the Israeli military opened fire at al-Tahan and his comrades when they attempted to cross the separation fence. Al-Tahan was badly injured. Within a few hours he was pronounced dead.
هذه أجواء الاشتباك الذي حصل بين جيش العدو قرب مستعمرة المطلة وشبان متظاهرين اقتحمو السياج واضرمو النيران .
اطلاق النار والقنابل الصوتية من قبل العدو ادى إلى إصابة مواطن لبناني pic.twitter.com/W36g4j75lV
— علي شعيب 🇱🇧 2️⃣ (@alishaib1970) May 14, 2021
*واختلط الدم بالدم🇵🇸*
*أولُ العابرين*
*ليثُ المواجهةِ على الحدودِ اللبنانية الفلسطينية*
*الشهيد محمد طحان*
*#القدس_أقرب*
*#على_طريق_القدس* pic.twitter.com/XPtjwVJoTa— ريحانة نصر الله 💛💛💛💚💚💚 (@yamahdi313_123) May 14, 2021
In an official statement, Hezbollah confirmed that al-Tahan was a reserve fighter in his ranks. The group didn’t provide any further details.
The incident may spark a serious military confrontation between Israel and Lebanon. In the past, Hezbollah responded to Israeli attacks on its personnel in Lebanon and Syria. Any move by the group could provoke a full-on Israeli offensive on Lebanon.
A day earlier, three rockets were launched from southern Lebanon towardsa Israel. Later, an alleged Israeli strike hit a vehicle moving weapons for Hezbollah inside Syria.
Hezbollah will likely act carefully due the fragile situation in Lebanon, where a major economic crisis plunged over half the population into poverty over the last year.
