Hamas commander killed in targeted strike in Lebanon, IDF hits Hezbollah targets in Syria

Israel killed a senior Hamas commander in an airstrike near the Lebanese city of Tyre on Wednesday morning, the IDF stated.

The Hamas terror organization identified the commander as Hadi Mustafa, a resident of the nearby Rashidiyeh Palestinian refugee camp. In an announcement hailing Mustafa as a martyr, he was described as “one of the leaders” of Hamas’ Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades in Lebanon.

Mustafa was part of Hamas's construction bureau and responsible for advancing Hamas' international activity and terrorist attacks against Jewish and Israeli targets, according to the IDF.

🔴ELIMINATED: Hadi Ali Mustafa, a Hamas terrorist in Lebanon responsible for advancing Hamas' international activity and terrorist attacks against Jewish and Israeli targets.

The IDF will continue to operate against Hamas in every area in which it operates. pic.twitter.com/et4dLjlSle

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 13, 2024

Mustafa worked as a teacher of Islam in a school in addition to his involvement in terror activities against Israel, according to the Alma Research Center.

The drone strike targeted the vehicle that Mustafa was traveling in, Reuters reported. Sources said a second man, a Syrian motorcyclist who was passing near the car, was also killed.

Additional attacks today (March 12) in the Bekaa: Nabi Chit and Saraain. These are significant assets in the strategic depth of Hezbollah related to the storage of advanced weapons. Also, airstrikes continue on Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/rxXQmN8tBW

— Israel-Alma (@IsraelAlmaorg) March 12, 2024

Israel has targeted several Hamas commanders in Lebanon in recent months, including Khalil Kharaz in southern Lebanon and Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut.

The strike followed several days of intense fire exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah, culminating with Hezbollah firing a barrage of 100 rockets at Israel on Tuesday, while the IDF struck strategic Hezbollah assets deep inside Lebanon.

On Tuesday evening, the IDF confirmed another strike against Hezbollah in a non-typical area, that targeted two Syrian army posts used by the terror group in the area of Kuneitra, close to the Israeli-Syrian border on the Golan Heights.

“The IDF considers the Syrian regime responsible for everything that happens on its territory and will not allow attempts that will lead to the establishment of the terrorist organization Hezbollah on its front,” the IDF said in a statement.

On March 12, a Syrian military base was attacked on a hill in the Al Nuriyah area, north of Khan Arnabeh in the Syrian Golan Heights. The attack was carried out against the background of Hezbollah's use of the military infrastructure of the Syrian army at this base. In our… pic.twitter.com/ZtOlBnVfIv

— Israel-Alma (@IsraelAlmaorg) March 13, 2024

The posts are located north of the town of Khan Arnabeh in Syria's Golan Heights. Alma Research estimated that the attack targeted Hezbollah units gathering intelligence in preparation for attacks against Israel from Syria.

Hezbollah units are currently present in “dozens of sites” along the Israeli border on the Golan Heights, Alma added.

Over the past several years, Hezbollah has attempted to leverage its involvement in the Syrian Civil War to establish itself near the Israeli border, allowing it the possibility to open a second front in the event of a larger-scale war.

Since Hezbollah began hostilities against Israel in support of Hamas last October, several attacks have been carried out against Israel from Syrian territory.