Israel claims it killed 150 Hezbollah members, while the group remains silent
The Israeli army says that among the dead is Ali Reza Abbas, commander of the Bint Jbeil sector, one of the main frontline sectors in southern Lebanon.
On Sunday, the Israeli army announced that it had killed more than 150 members of Hezbollah in intensive strikes carried out on the eve of the ceasefire with Lebanon. It stated that the attacks targeted positions and deployments of the group’s fighters in several areas, resulting also in the deaths of field commanders, including the individual it described as the commander of the Bint Jbeil sector. No immediate comment was issued by the Lebanese Shiite armed group, considered one of Iran’s main regional arms, regarding the Israeli claims.
Amid an ongoing war and a fragile truce, it is difficult to verify the accuracy of Israeli assertions as well as those issued by Hezbollah, as such reports often fall within the context of media and psychological warfare. It is also not possible to dismiss their accuracy while awaiting the subsiding of the war’s noise and the release of reliable official statements.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Israeli army said that the latest strikes directly preceded the start of the ceasefire announced for a renewable period of ten days. It noted that its operations targeted around 300 military objectives across different areas of Lebanon, including rocket launch platforms, weapons depots, and command centers. It added that these operations are part of what it described as a broader campaign launched in late February.
According to the Israeli account, those killed include Ali Reza Abbas, described as the commander of the Bint Jbeil sector, one of the most prominent frontline sectors in southern Lebanon, who was leading field operations against Israeli forces. The statement also referred to the targeting of other leaders without providing further details about their identities or locations.
So far, no official comment has been issued by Hezbollah regarding these claims, leaving room for conflicting narratives about the scale of losses and the nature of the targets struck. These developments come at a time when the media battle between the two sides is marked by extreme caution, particularly regarding the announcement of human losses.
Recent weeks have witnessed intense exchanges of fire between the two sides. Hezbollah carried out rocket attacks and used drones against positions inside Israel and reported clashes with Israeli forces that had advanced into southern Lebanon. These confrontations resulted in casualties on both sides, amid relative secrecy regarding the actual scale of losses.
According to official Lebanese data, the military operations over approximately 45 days have resulted in more than two thousand deaths and thousands of injuries, in addition to the displacement of more than one million people, in one of the largest displacement waves Lebanon has experienced in recent years.
Despite the announcement of the ceasefire, reports of repeated violations have emerged, raising questions about the parties’ commitment to the truce and the possibility of its extension or collapse. In this context, the situation on the ground remains fragile, with ongoing tensions along the southern border and the intertwining of military and political considerations within a complex regional landscape.
