A top commander of the Sunni Islamist group Jama’a Islamiya was killed in an Israeli drone strike on Tuesday morning, south of Beirut, the group confirmed in a statement.
The strike targeted Hussein Atawi, a prominent commander in the Fajr Forces, the militant faction’s armed wing. Atawi was reportedly en route from his home to his office in Beirut when he was killed.
While the Israeli military has yet to comment, the Fajr Forces have been active in launching rocket attacks across Lebanon’s southern border at Israel during the previous year’s war, which ended in a ceasefire. Israeli airstrikes had taken out several members of the group during the conflict.
Despite the ceasefire, Israeli strikes on Lebanese soil have persisted, focusing mainly on Hezbollah fighters and their weapons depots. Israeli forces also remain stationed at five positions on hilltops in southern Lebanon.
In response to these ongoing strikes and the continued Israeli military presence, both Hezbollah and Jama’a Islamiya, alongside the Lebanese government, have condemned these actions as violations of Lebanon’s sovereignty and the truce. Israel defends its actions, citing the potential threat posed by the militants and weapons to its civilian population.
