Israeli drone strikes car in southern Lebanon, killing Hamas member

An Israeli drone strike has targeted a car in southern Lebanon near the coastal city of Tyre, killing a member of the Palestinian militant Hamas group and a civilian.

Since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in Gaza on October 7, Israeli strikes have killed or wounded several ranking members of the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group, as well as its ally Hamas in different parts of Lebanon.

Hamas identified the victim as Hadi Mustafa, and said he was with the group’s military wing, the Qassam Brigades.

Lebanese state media said he was from the Rashidieh refugee camp near Tyre, where Hamas has a notable presence.

The Israeli military released a video of the strike and said Mustafa was directing cells to attack “Israeli and Jewish targets” in different parts of the world, and reiterated that the Israeli army and security agencies will go after Hamas wherever the Palestinian group is active.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said the other person killed was a Syrian citizen who was on a motorcycle near the targeted car. It also said two people were injured in the strike.

The incident came a day after a pair of Israeli air strikes hit deep into Lebanese territory, killing a Hezbollah member and another person, and injuring 20 people.

The strikes were in retaliation for a barrage of 100 Katyusha rockets that Hezbollah fired targeting several Israeli military positions, including two bases in northern Israel earlier in the day.

Also on Tuesday, top Hamas official Khalil al-Hayyeh met Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut.

The United States and other governments continue with efforts to prevent the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip from spilling over into Lebanon as Hezbollah militants and Israeli soldiers trade fire across the volatile Lebanon-Israel border.

The biggest Israeli strike in Lebanon came in early June, when top Hamas official Saleh Arouri and six others were killed in a Beirut apartment.