By A suspected Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon has killed Khalil al-Maqdah, a senior commander from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, as tensions remain high along the Israel-Lebanon border. The attack, which targeted al-Maqdah’s car in the city of Sidon on Wednesday morning, underscores the escalating violence in the region. Earlier this month, a Hamas commander was also killed in southern Lebanon, highlighting the ongoing conflict.
In response to the drone strike, the Israeli army launched a series of overnight air raids on what it identified as ammunition depots belonging to Lebanon’s Hezbollah group in the Bekaa region. These strikes resulted in one death and at least 20 injuries. Hezbollah retaliated by firing dozens of rockets into northern Israel and the occupied Golan Heights, causing damage to residential buildings and injuring one person.
Hezbollah has claimed that the rocket attacks were in retaliation for the Israeli air raids on their territory. The group noted that such exchanges of fire have become frequent, especially following the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel, which triggered a broader Israeli offensive on Gaza. The region has seen almost daily skirmishes between Israel and Hezbollah, with fears of a larger conflict escalating.
The recent violence has further strained relations in the region, particularly after the high-profile killings of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr late last month. Iran has pledged retaliation for Haniyeh’s assassination, but so far, has refrained from taking action. Meanwhile, the United States has deployed additional forces to the region and cautioned that an expanded war could undermine efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.
