The Israel Defense Forces confirmed on Wednesday the targeted killing of Hezbollah commander Sami Taleb Abdullah, who headed the Nasr Unit, or “Victory Force,” one of the Iranian-back terror group’s three divisions in Southern Lebanon, responsible for the eastern sector.
Abdullah, 55, who assumed his position in 2016, was killed in an airstrike Tuesday night in the Jouaiyya area, where he oversaw attacks since Oct. 7 on the cities of Kiryat Shmona and Safed, Moshavs Margaliot and Avivim, and other places. He was known within Hezbollah as Hajj Abu Taleb.
He also spearheaded attacks causing recent widespread fires in the Golan Heights and Upper Galilee, as well as the launch of Hezbollah’s Burkan missiles, which have a maximum range of 10 km. (6.2 miles) and carry up to 500 kg. (1,100 pounds) of explosive material, at Israeli communities.
He is the senior-most of some 300 Hezbollah terrorists killed since the Iranian proxy began near-daily attacks on Israel in the immediate aftermath of Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre.
אמש בתקיפת מטוסי קרב, הותקפה מפקדה של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה במרחב ג׳וויה, ממנה ניהל הארגון את התקיפות מדרום-מזרח לבנון לעבר שטח ישראל, וחוסל מפקדה סמי טאלב עבדאללה, מפקד יחידת ׳נצר׳ בארגון הטרור חיזבאללה.
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) June 12, 2024
סמי טאלב שימש כאחד המפקדים הבכירים של חיזבאללה בדרום לבנון>> pic.twitter.com/WnWfBYmqQN
“Abdullah was one of Hezbollah’s most senior commanders in Southern Lebanon who planned, advanced and carried out a large number of terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians,” the IDF said.
Three additional terrorists were killed in Tuesday’s strike.
In response, Hezbollah fired more than 200 rockets at northern Israel.
