by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
(Worthy News) – Israel announced Monday that it eliminated the head of Hezbollah’s intelligence apparatus in an overnight strike on Beirut, as Lebanon’s government declared it would move to prohibit the terror group’s military activities following a dramatic escalation along the northern border.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that Hussein Makled, identified as “the head of Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters,” was killed in the strike on the Lebanese capital.
According to the IDF, Makled was responsible for compiling intelligence assessments on Israeli troop movements and national security targets, utilizing multiple collection tools to assist Hezbollah leadership.
“He also closely cooperated with senior commanders in Hezbollah who planned and advanced terror attacks against Israel and its citizens,” the military stated.
Hezbollah Rocket Barrage Sparks Major Retaliation
The escalation began in the pre-dawn hours of Monday when Hezbollah launched rockets and drones at Israel, claiming the assault was retaliation for the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during the opening phase of the joint U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran over the weekend.
In response, Israel launched extensive airstrikes across Lebanon.
An overnight strike in southern Beirut killed Adham al-Othman, identified by Palestinian Islamic Jihad as commander of its al-Quds Brigades in Lebanon.
Later Monday, the IDF said it struck approximately 70 Hezbollah weapons depots and rocket-launching positions across southern Lebanon, after issuing evacuation warnings to civilians.
Israel also targeted branches of the Al-Qard al-Hasan association, which the military said serves as Hezbollah’s financial arm — storing funds, paying operatives, transferring money from Iran, and facilitating weapons purchases.
“Hezbollah’s attempts at economic rehabilitation and the activity at the branches of the Al-Qard al-Hasan association constitute a threat to the citizens of the State of Israel,” the IDF said.
Lebanon Seeks to Reassert Sovereignty
In a significant political development, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced after a cabinet meeting that Lebanon rejected any military operations launched from its territory that fall outside the state’s authority.
“The decision of war and peace is exclusively in its hands,” Salam declared, calling for the immediate prohibition of Hezbollah’s military and security activities and demanding the group hand over its weapons to the Lebanese state.
President Joseph Aoun reiterated that position, stressing that Lebanon would not be dragged into a wider regional war.
Hezbollah officials, however, condemned what they called Beirut’s “swaggering decisions,” arguing that the government should instead focus on rejecting Israeli actions.
Israel Signals Campaign Will Continue
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem is now “a marked target for elimination,” declaring that those who follow Khamenei’s path would face the same fate.
“We will strike Hezbollah hard,” Katz said during a visit to an Israeli Air Force command center in Tel Aviv.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said Israel would not conclude its northern campaign until “the threat from Lebanon is removed.”
“Our main effort is Iran,” Zamir stated. “But after Hezbollah opened fire, I instructed that we act forcefully against Hezbollah as well. The IDF planned and is prepared to operate in multiple arenas simultaneously.”
When asked about the possibility of a ground invasion, IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin responded: “All options are on the table.”
As Israel intensifies operations against Iran and its proxies, officials in Jerusalem have made clear that the objective extends beyond retaliation — aiming to dismantle Hezbollah’s military infrastructure and permanently remove the threat along Israel’s northern border.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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