Israel kills another high-ranking Hezbollah official in air strike

Israel says it has killed Nabil Qaouk, another high-ranking Hezbollah official, in an air strike.

On Friday, Israeli military said it had killed Hassan Nasrallah, secretary-general and leader of Hezbollah, in a strike.

The group said its leader “has joined his fellow martyrs”, adding that it would “continue the holy war against the enemy and in support of Palestine”.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli prime minister, said he ordered the killing and described it as a “settling of accounts with an arch-murderer”.

In a statement on Sunday, the Israeli military announced the killing of Qaouk in south Beirut, adding that its air force continued to hit more targets around Lebanon on Sunday.

“The Commander of Hezbollah’s Preventative Security Unit and a member of their Executive Council, Nabil Qaouk, was eliminated in a precise IDF strike,” the statement reads.

“Qaouk was close to Hezbollah’s senior commanders and was directly engaged in terrorist attacks against the State of Israel and its citizens.

“He joined Hezbollah in the 1980s and was regarded as an important source of expertise in his field, having served as the Deputy Commander of the southern region on the Operational Council, Commander of the southern region and Deputy Commander of the Operational Council.

“The IDF will continue to strike and eliminate the commanders within the Hezbollah terrorist organization and will act against anyone who threatens the citizens of the State of Israel.”

Hezbollah has yet to officially announce Qaouk’s death, but a source close to the group said he had been killed.

Hezbollah launched low-intensity cross-border strikes on Israeli troops after its Palestinian ally Hamas staged its unprecedented attack on Israel.