Israel claims to have killed Hamas member in Lebanon air strike

The Israeli occupation army today claimed to have killed a Hamas member in an air strike in southern Lebanon.

A military statement said Khalid Ahmed Ahmed was killed in the strike that targeted the coastal city of Sidon.

The army claimed that Ahmed was Hamas’ chief of operations in Lebanon’s western sector, accusing him of being responsible for weapons transfers and attacks against Israeli targets.

There was no immediate comment from Hamas or Lebanese authorities on the Israeli statement.

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The Lebanese state news agency NNA, citing a Ministry of Health statement, confirmed that one person was killed in an Israeli drone strike on a car in Sidon.

A fragile ceasefire has been in place in Lebanon since November, ending months of cross-border warfare between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah, which escalated into a full-scale conflict in September.

Lebanese authorities have reported nearly 3,000 Israeli violations of the truce, including the killing of nearly 200 people and the injury of around 500 others.

Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by 26 January, but the deadline was extended to 18 February after Israel refused to comply. It still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.

READ: Lebanon warns Hamas against dragging nation into regional wars