Israel says it has killed another Hezbollah commander after back-and-forth attacks.
The Israeli military said it killed a senior Hezbollah commander in an airstrike on Tuesday evening, further increasing tensions with the Iran-backed militia after a day of back-and-forth attacks and the apparent Israeli killing of another Hezbollah commander Monday.
The Israeli military identified the commander killed on Tuesday as Ali Hussein Burji and said he led Hezbollah’s air unit in southern Lebanon and was responsible for a drone strike that morning on the headquarters of Israel’s Northern Command, in the city of Safed. The Israeli military had previously said the attack caused no casualties or damage.
In a statement, Hezbollah denied the Israeli military’s claims about Mr. Burji’s role and involvement in the drone strike, calling them “baseless.” It had announced Mr Burji’s death earlier in the day without providing details, before saying his attack on Safed was in retaliation for Monday’s killing of Wissam Hassan al-Tawila senior commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan unit.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz appeared to claim responsibility for Mr al-Tawil’s murder television interview late Monday. “This is part of our war,” Mr. Katz said in response to a question about the attack on the Radwan unit. “We are attacking the people of Hezbollah.”
Mr al-Tawil’s funeral took place on Tuesday afternoon, with a large procession of mourners carrying his coffin through Khirbet Selm, the southern Lebanon village where he was killed. A Lebanese security official said Israel carried out an attack during the meeting and killed one person.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to questions about whether the reported attack was the airstrike that killed Mr. Burji. But The New York Times was able to verify the recorded location images of the air raid released by the military, confirming that it took place around the funeral in Khirbet Selm.
Hezbollah also said Tuesday that it fired on several areas in northern Israel, including Malkia and Yiftah. The Israeli military later said it targeted the launch sites for the attacks, as well as a drone crew in southern Lebanon, in retaliation, and that Israeli fighter jets had hit military equipment in the Kafr Kila area.
Earlier Tuesday, Israel also killed three Hezbollah members in an attack on their vehicle in the southern Lebanese city of Ghandouriyeh, according to the Lebanese security official.
Hezbollah has pledged support to Hamas and has stepped up attacks on Israel in recent days in response to Hamas’s killing last week. Saleh al-Arouria senior Hamas leader, outside Beirut.
Israeli leaders have repeatedly stated in recent weeks that there are only two options to restore calm to the conflict with Hezbollah: a diplomatic solution that would move Radwan forces further from the border; or, failing that, a major Israeli military offensive aimed at achieving the same goal.
Johnatan Reiss And Arijeta Lajka reporting contributed.