Israeli strike on Dahieh targets Hezbollah's Radwan Force commander
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military struck Beirut's southern suburbs on Wednesday, targeting a top Hezbollah commander.
"The Israeli army has struck in Beirut to target the commander of Hezbollah's Radwan force, in an attempt to neutralize him," a joint statement issued by Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said.
"Radwan operatives, under his command, were responsible for firing at Israeli communities and for attacks on Israeli soldiers," the statement said, without naming the commander. A source close to Hezbollah, however, told AFP that "Malek Ballout, the operations commander in the Radwan force," was killed in the strike. Media reports had also identified the commander as Malek Ballout.
The strike marks the first attack on the area since a truce in the Israel-Hezbollah war went into force on April 17.
An Israeli official told the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation that the attack was coordinated with the United States.
An Israeli source meanwhile told Israel's Channel 14 that Israel would strike anywhere in Lebanon should more assassination chances arise.
Source: Agence France Presse, Naharnet
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