Beirut, Sep 30 (V7N) – Hassan Khalil Yassin, the top commander of Hezbollah's intelligence department, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's Dahiyeh district, according to confirmation from the Times of India on Sunday night. Previous reports from international media had claimed Khalil's death, but the Times of India cited the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), confirming his involvement in orchestrating attacks on Israeli military and civilian targets.

The Turkish news agency Anadolu also reported that Israeli forces conducted an airstrike on the southern outskirts of Beirut on Saturday, claiming the life of the top Hezbollah intelligence commander. The Israeli air force targeted Khalil, who was responsible for identifying potential targets along the northern border and deep within Israeli territory.

This follows the death of Hezbollah's chief, Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Friday. The strike took place in the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburb of Dahiyeh. Nasrallah was reportedly killed in a 'targeted attack' on Hezbollah's underground headquarters, buried beneath a residential building in the area.

Nasrallah's body was recovered from the site of the attack, with sources stating that his death was likely caused by blunt force trauma from the impact of the blast. In addition to Nasrallah, Israeli forces claim to have killed 20 other senior Hezbollah leaders in the same airstrike, marking a significant blow to the Iran-backed militant group.

These back-to-back high-profile deaths within Hezbollah’s leadership have raised concerns over escalating tensions and potential retaliatory actions by the group, especially as Israel intensifies its airstrikes on Hezbollah positions in Lebanon.

END/RH/AJ