Israeli Airstrike Kills Hamas Chief in Lebanon, Destroys Hezbollah Hideout
Hamas Leader Mohammad Shaheen Killed in Israeli Drone Strike
The Israeli military confirmed the killing of Hamas leader Mohammad Shaheen in a drone strike in southern Lebanon on Monday. Shaheen, a key figure in Hamas’s operations department in Lebanon, was reportedly involved in planning attacks against Israeli citizens. The strike occurred just before the deadline for Israel’s complete withdrawal from southern Lebanon under a ceasefire agreement.
Footage circulating online showed a vehicle engulfed in flames, reportedly the result of the Israeli attack. According to Israeli authorities, Shaheen was responsible for coordinating attacks funded and directed by Iran from Lebanese territory.
Israeli Army Demolishes Hezbollah Hideout on Mount Dov
On the same day, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that its ‘Mountain Brigade’ had demolished an underground Hezbollah hideout on Mount Dov. The hideout, belonging to Hezbollah’s elite Radwan unit, contained combat equipment and living quarters. The tunnel, spanning several meters, was discovered by the IDF’s Yahalom combat engineering unit weeks earlier.
Ceasefire Agreement and Military Withdrawal
Under the ceasefire agreement, Hezbollah is required to withdraw its armed presence from southern Lebanon, south of the Litani River. While Israeli forces have withdrawn from most of the region, they have maintained a presence at five locations with U.S. approval due to concerns over the Lebanese army’s deployment.
The Israel-Lebanon Border
The Israel-Lebanon border, known as the ‘Blue Line,’ stretches 120 kilometers from Rosh HaNikra on the Mediterranean coast to Mount Dov, where Israel, Lebanon, and Syria meet. Established in 2000 by UN cartographers to verify Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon, this border remains a tense and strategic region in ongoing conflicts.
