Israeli drone strike in Lebanon kills Senior Hezbollah official

 

BEIRUT – Israel launched a drone strike in southern Lebanon, killing a senior Hezbollah commander, in violation of the ceasefire agreement once more. Abbas Hassan Kurki, the logistics commander of Hezbollah's southern front, was killed when an Israeli drone struck his vehicle near the village of Toul, which is close to Nabatieh, according to Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA). According to the agency, a drone's guided missile struck Kurki while he was driving down a rural road. Hezbollah later confirmed his death, naming him as a key logistics figure in the southern command who was in charge of managing supply routes. The strike, which it claimed was carried out against Hezbollah's "southern front logistics commander, Abbas Hassan Kurki," was claimed by the Israeli military in a statement.

The attack marks yet another violation of the ceasefire agreement reached in November 2024, which was intended to end over a year of cross-border clashes between Israel and Hezbollah.  Under the deal, Israel was to withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah was to relocate north of the Litani River and dismantle its military positions in the border areas.

 Israel has continued to conduct air and drone strikes inside Lebanese territory despite the agreement. The Lebanese government has begun efforts to disarm Hezbollah, despite opposition from the group and its political allies and pressure from the United States and concerns about rising Israeli attacks.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met with U.S. officials one day prior to the most recent strike. The chairman of the committee that monitors the ceasefire is General Joseph Clearfield. Salam urged Israel to fulfill its own obligations while reiterating Lebanon's commitment to complete the disarmament process south of the Litani River by the end of the year. He demanded that Israel withdraw from the occupied Lebanese territories and immediately halt its continued aggression.