The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that one of the deceased was a Lebanese commander of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group operating in Syria. While the monitor did not provide his name or further details, it confirmed that he was active in Syria and held Lebanese citizenship. Israel has ramped up its strikes in Syria, alleging that Hezbollah is launching rockets into northern Israel.
Following the loss of its leader, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s leadership has pledged to continue the group’s mission, which includes attacks on Israel. In recent months, several senior Hezbollah officials have been killed in airstrikes and other attacks, frequently attributed to Israel.
In a statement, Hezbollah called the late Sheikh “the most supreme, sacred martyr in our journey, filled with sacrifices and martyrs.” The statement also pledged to carry on with “our fight for the liberation of the occupied lands and vengeance for the honorable martyrs of the Resistance.”
Israeli aircraft struck an apartment belonging to Hezbollah in a stronghold of pro-Iran groups south of Damascus. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, reported that nine people were killed. Hezbollah has said little about the strike, which reportedly destroyed the apartment’s roof and damaged the surrounding buildings.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights cited a Lebanese security source who said an Israeli helicopter fired at an object that was part of Hezbollah’s military infrastructure in the area. The source spoke anonymously because he wasn’t authorized to speak publicly about the incident. The Syrian Observatory and other monitors have accused Israel of targeting Hezbollah’s infrastructure, a claim that the military denies.
Hezbollah’s armed wing has taken part in the war in Syria alongside the Assad regime. The allied force has made significant gains against opposition forces in recent years. In July, it seized control of a strategic border town in the Golan Heights from rebels. Hezbollah has also fired rockets into northern Israel from Lebanon’s southern border with Syria.
Israel has denied the allegations, saying it only strikes Hezbollah targets in Syria when they are used to fire into Israel. Hezbollah leaders have defended the group’s presence in Syria, saying it is a necessary counter to Israeli aggression against Lebanon.
Hezbollah, which has a significant military presence in southern Lebanon, was formed in 1985 with the publication of a manifesto detailing the group’s aims for the region and its allegiance to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini. The group is the most prominent Shiite militia in the world and has a formidable arsenal that includes thousands of rockets, missiles, and a sophisticated mobile commando unit. The group also has a political presence in Lebanon, where it has won seats in parliament and held key government posts. Iran and other allies finance the group. It is the only Shiite organization to hold parliamentary seats in a predominantly Sunni country. It has a popular base in the country’s south, known as the Amal Movement.