Hezbollah has confirmed that Muhammad Nimah Nasser, commander of the Aziz unit, was killed today during an Israeli airstrike in Tyre, Lebanon.
The Strike
Media showing the aftermath of the strike indicates that one motor vehicle was targeted, likely with a low-yield warhead consistent with previous Israeli strikes targeting high-profile targets.
BREAKING: The Israeli occupation army raises alert level in northern occupied Palestine amid fears of Hezbollah retaliation following an Israeli assassination operation by targeting a vehicle in the city of Tyre, southern Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/LtSopgXqTf
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) July 3, 2024
The strike can be located in southeastern Tyre, near the Lebanese Italian Hospital (33.2502228, 35.2323708).
Targeting Key Leadership
The killing of Nasser follows weeks of Israeli strikes targeting key Hezbollah commanders involved in operations along the Lebanese border, which comes amid rapidly escalating tensions and fears of an all-out war with Israel.
Last month, regional Nasr unit commander Taleb Abdullah was killed in a strike in Jouaiyya, making one of the most high profile strikes against Hezbollah since October 7. Back in January, Radwan unit commander Wissam al-Tawil was killed in an Israeli strike in Tyre.
Following both strikes, Hezbollah responded with large-scale rocket and drone fire over the border, so retaliation is expected with the killing of Nasser.
Tensions Mount
The past several weeks have seen saber-rattling and threats of military response by both Hezbollah and Israel.
After Israel’s Northern Command announced that it had greenlit plans for offensive operations over the border into Lebanon, signaling potential for a broader military engagement, Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah warned of “no rules, no boundaries, no limits” in a war with Israel.
Likewise, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has regularly threatened a great Israeli military response to Hezbollah strikes, warning that “In an all-out war, Hezbollah will be destroyed and Lebanon will be severely hit.”
A comprehensive war will have no ceilings, no limits, and no controls. Everything will be available and under Hezbollah’s fire. pic.twitter.com/lCdz8BHVBt
— ??? ??? ???? (@SH_NasrallahEng) June 12, 2024
Meanwhile, Iran-backed elements of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, such as Kataib Hezbollah, Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, and Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, have pledged to fully back Hezbollah in the event of a war with Israel.
Negotiations seeking to de-escalate the current situation continue to fail while escalating rhetoric between Hezbollah and Israel underscores a rapidly intensifying conflict along the Israel-Lebanon border.