An Israeli airstrike on Sunday killed Mohammad Afif, Hezbollah’s media relations chief, in the Ras al-Naba’a neighborhood of central Beirut. The attack also reportedly killed three others and caused significant damage to neighboring buildings.
Afif, a key figure in Hezbollah, had served as the group’s public spokesperson and previously led its television network, Al Manar. His prominence increased after the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in September. Lebanese security officials and a Hezbollah representative confirmed his death in the strike, which targeted offices shared with the Syrian Ba’ath Party.
Hezbollahs media chief a couple of weeks ago taking responsibility for striking PM Netanyahus home:
“Hezbollah takes full responsibility for targeting Netanyahus home, if we didn’t get to him this time, we will get to him very soon.”
Today, he no longer is alive. FAFO pic.twitter.com/J01Q6XxuUS
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) November 17, 2024
As of press time, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has not released a statement regarding the strike, although the operation aligns with their broader efforts to weaken Hezbollah’s operational capabilities. The group has been heavily involved in cross-border attacks on Israel, including recent rocket barrages targeting northern Israeli cities.
The airstrike comes as Israel ramps up military operations in Lebanon, with over 50 Hezbollah targets hit in the past week. Earlier Sunday, Hezbollah launched rockets into northern Israel, injuring civilians and damaging property. In response, the IDF carried out extensive strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure, including weapons caches and command centers in southern Lebanon.
