A day after the Israeli attack on a suburb of the Lebanese capital Beirut, the Israeli army (IDF) on Saturday provided further details about the operation. According to them, 12 of the 16 people killed were members of Hezbollah, the Shiite militia backed by Iran.
The information could only be partially verified.
The deaths posed a threat to both Israeli and Lebanese civilians, the Israeli army spokesman said.
Among them was a man named Abu Hassan Samir, who was said to be the head of the training unit of the Radwan Force, an elite unit of Hezbollah. Other commanders of this unit were also killed during Friday’s attack on the Hezbollah rally.
The IDF said in a Telegram message that Samir was “one of the planners and leaders” of the so-called “Conquer the Galilee” plan, which the IDF says was intended to loot Israeli communities in the northern Galilee region. This could not be independently confirmed.
At least 37 people, including three children, were killed in the attack, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health. Among the dead was senior Hezbollah military commander Ibrahim Aqil, who was the leader of the Radwan Force.
Hezbollah said a total of 15 members were killed, including Aqil, after Friday’s attack.
