On Friday, an Israeli airstrike targeted a vehicle in Sidon, South Lebanon, killing Samer al-Hajj, a senior Hamas commander. This marks the first strike in Sidon since Hamas launched its October 7 attack on Israel, which sparked the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The strike, executed by an Israeli drone, also wounded two civilians.
Israel confirmed the strike, stating that al-Hajj was responsible for coordinating attacks on Israeli territory from Lebanon. The attack comes amid increasing hostilities, with Hezbollah and Israel exchanging near-daily cross-border fire. Emergency responders recovered a charred body from the targeted vehicle, as the area was secured by soldiers.
This incident adds to a series of Israeli strikes in Lebanon, which have killed 18 Hamas fighters since the Gaza war began.