The Israeli military announced on Monday that it had killed a Hamas commander, Muhammad Shaheen, in an air strike in southern Lebanon. The strike, which took place in the Sidon area, comes amid ongoing regional tensions and just ahead of a crucial ceasefire deadline between Israel and Hezbollah.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Shaheen was responsible for planning terror attacks against Israeli civilians from Lebanese territory. The military accused Iran of directing and funding these operations.
“Muhammad Shaheen was eliminated after recently planning terror attacks, directed and funded by Iran, from Lebanese territory against the citizens of the state of Israel,” the IDF said in a statement.
The military further described Shaheen as a key operative in Hamas, stating that he was a “significant source of knowledge within the terrorist organisation and was responsible throughout the war for various terror attacks and rocket launchers aimed at Israeli civilians.”
Lebanon Responds as Ceasefire Deadline Looms
The air strike in Lebanon occurred just as tensions remain high ahead of the Tuesday deadline for an already fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has urged international sponsors of the ceasefire deal to push Israel into withdrawing its forces before the deadline expires.
This latest escalation threatens to further destabilize the region, as Hezbollah has repeatedly warned of retaliation for Israeli attacks on Lebanese soil.
Israel and Hamas have been engaged in intense hostilities since the war erupted on October 7, following Hamas’ attack on Israeli civilians. Since then, cross-border conflicts involving Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon, have also intensified.
Sources By Agencies
