Israeli military says it killed top Hezbollah leader Nabil Kaouk in an airstrike
As Hezbollah in Lebanon reels after a series of catastrophic blows and the death of its longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah, the Israeli military stated on Sunday that it had killed another high-ranking official in an airstrike.
The Israeli military has stated that they have killed Nabil Kaouk, another senior Hezbollah leader, in attacks on Beirut, one day after the murder of Hezbollah chairman Hassan Nasrallah.
Later on Sunday, Hezbollah announced in a statement that Kaouk had taken on numerous organizational tasks throughout the different Hezbollah divisions and that he had been killed in a hit on Chiyah.
“Kaouk was considered to be close to Hezbollah’s senior commanders, and directly engaged in terrorist attacks against the state of Israel and its citizens, even in recent days,” the military said in a statement.
He was "regarded as an important source of expertise in his field" when he joined Hezbollah in the 1980s, according to the military.
Israel claims that Hezbollah has thousands of rockets in storage in the Bekaa valley and southern Beirut, two of the group's strongholds. Israeli strikes have progressively targeted these locations.
Eight of the nine most senior military commanders of Hezbollah, including Nasrallah, have reportedly been killed by Israel's military this year, primarily in the last week. From the rocket division to the elite Radwan force, these commanders oversaw various units.
Days after Israeli airstrikes killed Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Lebanon declared a five-day mourning period on Sunday. All stores, companies, and government buildings will be closed through Wednesday.
As of late, Hashem Safieddine is set to take over as head of Hezbollah, the armed organization backed by Iran, succeeding Hassan Nasrallah. Nasrallah, the leader of the group for thirty-two years, is the cousin of Safieddine.
Israel's continuous efforts to neutralize Hezbollah's capabilities in the face of intensifying hostilities with troops backed by Iran include the recent attacks.
Hezbollah has resumed firing missiles toward Israel in retaliation, with the Israeli navy intercepting one missile from the Red Sea and other more landing in open spaces. Hezbollah and Iran's sway over the region have suffered serious setbacks with the passing of Nasrallah and Kaouk.
Over 6,000 people have been injured and over 1,000 people have died as a result of Israeli strikes, according to Lebanese authorities. With over a million Lebanese uprooted and many more seeking safety in Beirut, the humanitarian catastrophe worsens.
