Israel Kills Hezbollah Radwan Force Commander Malek Ballout in Beirut Strike

Israeli forces carried out a strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs targeting Hezbollah’s Radwan Force commander, with Israeli leaders saying the operation aimed to neutralize him.

“Israeli forces have bombed Beirut’s southern suburbs and claim to have assassinated Malek Balou, a commander of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force”

Al Jazeera

TRT World, citing a source close to the group, said the strike hit an apartment in Ghobeiri where Radwan leaders were reportedly holding a meeting, and it identified the commander as Malek Ballout.

Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera reported that Israeli warplanes launched an attack targeting Ghobeiri and said Israel claimed to have assassinated Malek Balou, a commander of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force.

The strike came as Beirut and its southern suburbs had been spared Israeli attacks since 8 April, following massive strikes that killed more than 350 people.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the attack and said he and Defence Minister Israel Katz had instructed the army to carry out the attack, warning that “No terrorist has immunity.”

Al Jazeera quoted Netanyahu saying, “Radwan terrorists are responsible for shooting at Israeli settlements and harming [Israeli army] soldiers,” and added that Hezbollah had not yet responded to the Israeli claim.

Al-Hurra

Hezbollah sources told TRT World that no high-level military commanders from the Radwan Force or Hezbollah more broadly were affected by the strike.

TRT World also said the first attack on the area in nearly a month coincided with remarks from US President Donald Trump, who suggested there was “a very good chance” of sealing a peace deal with Iran.

The strike unfolded alongside broader Israeli actions in Lebanon, with TRT World reporting that at least 16 people were killed in strikes across southern and eastern Lebanon and that the World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the agency has verified 152 attacks on healthcare.

Le Monde added that WHO said those attacks resulted in 103 deaths and 241 injuries, and that they led to the closure of three hospitals and 41 primary health centres.

TRT World said Israel’s ceasefire terms allow Israel to act against “planned, imminent or ongoing attacks,” even while a truce has been in force since 17 April.

UPI reported that the May 6 strike was the first on Beirut’s southern suburbs since the April 17 cease-fire and said it was coordinated with the United States, while also noting that Lebanon was preparing for a third meeting with Israel scheduled for next week in Washington to pave the way for starting direct negotiations.