JERUSALEM, April 1 (Xinhua) -- The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Wednesday that Hajj Yusuf Ismail Hashem, commander of Hezbollah's Southern Front, was killed by the Israeli Navy in a strike in Beirut.
According to the statement, Hashem, a senior commander with more than 40 years of experience, was responsible for the Hezbollah units that engaged in combat against IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon.
The IDF added that Hashem led Hezbollah's rehabilitation and commanded its rocket launches and drone attacks against Israel.
"His elimination constitutes a significant blow to Hezbollah's ability to carry out terrorist operations against Israeli civilians and to manage ongoing combat against IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon," said the statement.
Cross-border fighting has continued along the Lebanon-Israel border since March 2, when Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel for the first time since a ceasefire agreed on Nov. 27, 2024, triggering intensified Israeli airstrikes across southern and eastern Lebanon. ■
