Senior Hezbollah Commander Hassan Halawi Killed in Israeli Drone Strike
Senior Hezbollah Commander Killed in Israeli Drone Strike in Southern Lebanon
An Israeli drone strike in Nabatieh, southern Lebanon, killed Hassan Kamal Halawi, a senior Hezbollah commander, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
The strike targeted a civilian vehicle in the village of Qa’qaiyat al-Jisr, setting it ablaze and leaving Halawi’s body to be recovered by civil defense teams. The IDF identified Halawi as the chief of Hezbollah’s anti-tank missile unit in southern Lebanon, accusing him of orchestrating numerous attacks against Israeli targets during the ongoing conflict.
“Halawi facilitated the movement of operatives and weapons into southern Lebanon,” the IDF stated, emphasizing his role in recent hostilities.
Lebanese security sources confirmed the strike, which occurred despite a U.S.- and French-brokered ceasefire in place since November 27, 2024. This truce, intended to halt over a year of cross-border clashes sparked by the Gaza war, has faltered as Israel maintains positions along the Lebanese border and conducts intermittent strikes, citing Hezbollah threats.
Lebanon’s Public Health Emergency Operations Centre initially labeled the casualty a civilian, highlighting conflicting narratives typical in such incidents.
The assassination marks another escalation in the simmering tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, with the IDF claiming over 30 commanders killed in Lebanon since October 2023. Hezbollah has yet to officially confirm Halawi’s death, but the strike aligns with Israel’s pattern of targeting high-ranking figures in the Iran-backed group’s military wing.
As of March 26, 2025, the fragile ceasefire hangs in the balance, with both sides braced for potential retaliation. This incident underscores the persistent volatility along the Israel-Lebanon border, where diplomacy struggles to contain a conflict threatening to reignite a broader regional crisis.
