Israel Kills Hezbollah Radwan Force Commander Ahmad Ghaleb Ballout in Beirut Airstrike

Israel said it killed Ahmad Ghaleb Ballout, the commander of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force, in an airstrike on Wednesday night that Netanyahu described as taking place “in the heart of Beirut.”

“Since the beginning of the ceasefire, fluctuations have been evident in the pattern of IDF airstrikes in Lebanon”

Alma Research and Education Center

VOI.ID reported Netanyahu said: “Last night (Wednesday), we eliminated, in the heart of Beirut, the commander of the Radwan Hezbollah forces,” and said he told enemies that “no terrorist is immune.”

Alma Research and Education Center

The strike hit an apartment in Haret Hreik, in Beirut’s southern suburbs, and Lebanese official media said three missiles were fired at the apartment.

L’Orient Today said the attack was Israel’s first strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs since the cease-fire, and described it as a targeted strike aiming at Ahmad Ghaleb Ballout, a commander in Hezbollah’s elite al-Radwan Force.

The New Arab said the Wednesday evening strike “apparently killed Ahmad Ballout,” and described him as the leader of the Radwan Force and the most senior official killed since Haitham al-Tabtabai in November.

Netanyahu framed the killing as part of a broader message, saying: “I say to our enemies as clearly as possible: no terrorist is immune.”

Annahar reported Netanyahu also said: “No terrorist will have immunity in Beirut,” and added: “Over the past month, we have eliminated more than 200 Hezbollah operatives who were acting against us.”

annahar

L’Orient Today reported that Hezbollah did not issue an official statement, but a source within the group confirmed Ballout’s death to AFP.

L’Orient Today also said Israeli military spokesperson Ella Waweya claimed Ballout had been killed, and that Netanyahu commented that Hezbollah commanders were “not safe in Beirut.”

The New Arab reported that Hezbollah had not released a statement confirming or denying Israel’s claim, even as it said the strike was the first on the capital’s suburbs since a fragile US-brokered ceasefire went into effect in April.

VOI.ID said the strike came as a fragile U.S.-mediated ceasefire in Lebanon, which took effect last month, continued to be regularly violated by both sides.

“FOCUS Who was Ahmad Ballout, the Hezbollah commander Israel targeted in Beirut's southern suburbs”

L'Orient Today

It added that despite the ceasefire, Israeli attacks and destruction throughout southern Lebanon were still ongoing, and said roads out of the southern outskirts of Beirut were jammed as people left the city after the air raids.

The New Arab said the attack on Beirut comes ahead of planned talks between Lebanon and Israel set to take place next week in Washington, DC, and said the U.S. is pushing for a broader peace agreement.

It reported that a State Department official said the talks will take place over two days, on Thursday and Friday, at the department’s headquarters, and that Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam ruled out normalisation while stressing that the talks aimed to reach a deal that would put an end to attacks and occupation.

VOI.ID said Israel accuses Hezbollah of firing into northern Israel and forces operating in Lebanon, and that the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has been in place since April 16.