Israeli army says it killed Hezbollah commander behind Iranian weapons smuggling

Army linked Hussein Ali Nasr to arms transfers and covert airport smuggling activity

Lebanese soldiers inspect a charred car hit by an Israeli air strike, in the southern coastal town of Ghazieh. AP

The Israeli army said it killed a senior Hezbollah commander in southern Lebanon, claiming he had overseen the smuggling of Iranian weapons and funds into the country.

According to the Israeli army, Hussein Ali Nasr was “the deputy commander of Hezbollah’s Unit 4400", believed to be responsible for logistical operations and weapons procurement for the militant group.

The army said Mr Nasr, who was killed in a strike on his car in southern Lebanon, played “a key role” in co-ordinating the transfer of Iranian arms and funds into Lebanon, including through Beirut International Airport.

He allegedly maintained “covert ties” with airport employees working on behalf of Hezbollah to enable smuggling operations. Mr Nasr was also reported to have overseen weapons deals with arms traffickers along the Lebanese–Syrian border and played a wider role in the group’s military logistics, according to the Israeli army.

The strike is part of Israel’s continuing war on the group, which has attacked Hezbollah’s logistical infrastructure and key personnel. Previous operations have reportedly resulted in the deaths of Unit 4400 commander Mohammad Jaafar Qasir and his deputy Ali Hassan Gharib.

Separately, the army said it struck on Sunday several rocket launchers and military infrastructure used by Hezbollah operatives in the Nabatieh area of southern Lebanon. Earlier in the day, Israeli fighter jets carried out a strike in the village of Houla, killing another Hezbollah member.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident in southern Lebanon, a Lebanese army officer and two soldiers were killed and several civilians injured, following the explosion of munitions being transported in a military vehicle in the area of Nabatieh. The Lebanese army said specialised units launched an investigation into the cause of the blast.

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Lebanon has been paying a heavy price for Hezbollah’s war with Israel, which ended in the group’s defeat. Hezbollah, which has long dominated Lebanon’s decisions on war and peace, is no longer regarded as a deterrent to Israel.

The current ceasefire deal has given Israel the upper hand, as it continues to attack Hezbollah despite the truce. Its actions are part of US guarantees that allow the Israeli military to strike Hezbollah and any other perceived threat. The guarantees also include disarming Hezbollah and ending any role it holds within Lebanon's security services.

In recent weeks at Lebanon’s only airport, personnel seen as close to Hezbollah, from baggage handlers to security officials in charge of loading and unloading zones, were laid off.

Lebanese security sources told The National that foreign officials involved in Lebanese affairs, particularly from the US, have been requesting the appointment of certain people to security posts while pushing for the removal of those they perceive as being close to Hezbollah.

On Friday, Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said the group “will not allow anyone to disarm” it and that no dialogue over a broader defence strategy in Lebanon will take place until Israel withdraws from Lebanese territory.

He was speaking hours before Iran and the US held a second round of talks aimed at reaching a nuclear deal and a regional understanding that could lead Tehran to curb its support for militant groups across the region, including Hezbollah.