Israel on Tuesday night eliminated a Hezbollah terrorist in Southern Lebanon responsible for directing rocket-launching squads in Syria, according to the Israeli military.
Hassam Qassem Ghrab, who was killed in an airstrike in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, was commanding terrorist cells in Syria that were planning to launch rockets toward the Golan Heights, the Israel Defense Forces said.
Uri Kellner, head of the Golan Regional Council, was quoted by Channel 12 News as saying that the operation “once again illustrates the instability and ongoing threat across the border, and the need for a determined IDF response that removes threats in real time and maintains the security of the state and its residents.”
The strike was the second on a Hezbollah terrorist Southern Lebanon in as many days.
On the night of July 31, the IDF carried out a wave of attacks on Hezbollah targets in Southern Lebanon, including a major missile production site.
These counter-terror activities come as Beirut begins discussions on removing weapons from non-state actors, including Hezbollah. This process was prompted by U.S. demands for the Lebanese government to begin disarming the Iranian-backed terror proxy.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced on Tuesday that the government had directed the army to draft a plan aimed at ensuring the state’s exclusive control over weapons and disarming groups operating outside official authority, including Hezbollah. The Lebanese Army will present the plan to the Cabinet before the end of August, and it is expected to be implemented by the end of this year, according to Salam’s statement.
The announcement followed a highly anticipated Cabinet meeting to debate the disarmament of Hezbollah. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun gathered ministers at the Baabda presidential palace southeast of Beirut, with discussions stretching into the evening amid uncertainty over the outcome. It was also decided to continue deliberations on the U.S. disarmament proposal this Thursday.
Despite these discussions, Hezbollah’s leadership has rejected calls for disarmament. Deputy leader Naim Qassem insisted that the group will not surrender its weapons and will retaliate if Jerusalem initiates wider attacks against the organization.
Hezbollah began launching missiles and rockets into northern Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, just one day after the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel. Last fall, Hezbollah’s leadership suffered significant losses from a series of Israeli operations that targeted their communications equipment, followed by intense airstrikes on its rocket arsenal. A ceasefire went into effect on Nov. 27.
Pressure has mounted from both U.S. and Lebanese political factions for the group to disarm. In June, U.S. envoy Thomas Barrack proposed a roadmap under which Hezbollah would give up its weapons in exchange for Israel halting military strikes and withdrawing from remaining strategic positions in Southern Lebanon, contingent on Lebanon’s Cabinet issuing a clear commitment to disarm the terrorist group.
