Israel announced that it had killed Hassan Farhat, a commander of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, in a strike on the Lebanese port city of Sidon. The strike also claimed the lives of Farhat’s adult son and daughter.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the attack, calling it a “flagrant attack on Lebanese sovereignty” and a violation of the ceasefire agreement established on November 27 between Lebanon and Israel.
According to the Israeli military, the targeted strike took place overnight, conducted by the Israeli army and the domestic security agency Shin Bet. The military stated that Farhat had been responsible for orchestrating multiple attacks on Israeli soldiers and civilians, particularly during the hostilities following the outbreak of the war in Gaza in October 2023. These attacks included a rocket strike on the Israeli town of Safed on February 14, 2024, which killed an Israeli soldier.
The strike, which hit a flat in a residential area of Sidon, resulted in the deaths of Farhat and his family members. A Palestinian official, speaking anonymously to AFP, confirmed the casualties. The explosion caused heavy damage to the apartment block and surrounding buildings.
Lebanese state media reported that the strike occurred at 3:45 am (0045 GMT) and was carried out by a hostile drone.
Newsmen confirmed that at least three people were killed and described the strike as causing two successive explosions that led to a fire and significant damage. Emergency workers later recovered the bodies of the three victims.
