In Lebanon, Israel kills a Hamas commander, increasing pressure for a ceasefire

The already precarious ceasefire negotiations have been further strained by an Israeli strike that killed a Hamas commander in Lebanon.

The tenuous ceasefire that put an end to Israel and Hezbollah’s fighting last year was further strained on Friday when Israel killed a senior Hamas commander in an airstrike on southern Lebanon.

According to the Israeli military, the 2023 rocket attack on Safed that killed Israelis was carried out by the commander, Hassan Farhat. It declared that it would keep going after Hamas members “wherever they operate.”

Farhat, his son, and daughter were all murdered in the Sidon hit, according to a security source. The al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, praised his longstanding services to the group’s fight and accused Israel of killing him in his residence.

Iran-backed Hezbollah denounced the attack, claiming it was an indication that Israel planned to extend its military assault throughout Lebanon. In a statement, the organization claimed, “The enemy’s intention to broaden the scope of its aggression and target all of Lebanon is demonstrated by the targeting of Sidon.”

Hezbollah and Hamas are partners, and during the fight in 2023, Hezbollah supported Hamas by attacking Israel over the border. Parts of Hezbollah’s leadership in Lebanon were destroyed by Israel’s massive air and land offensive in retaliation.

According to the office of Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Friday’s airstrike constituted a flagrant breach of the truce negotiated by the United States.

With Israel conducting airstrikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold, and rockets being fired into Israeli territory from Lebanon in recent weeks, the truce, which was established in November, has grown more precarious.

Hezbollah has accused the US and other sponsors of the ceasefire of ignoring Israeli aggression. Meanwhile, the United States praised Israel’s latest strikes, claiming that Israel was acting in self-defense and blaming the fresh violence on “terrorists.”

The most recent missile assaults from Lebanon have been rejected by Hezbollah.