Israeli strike kills Hezbollah media head Mohammad Afif

BEIRUT,— Lebanon’s Hezbollah said on Sunday that its media relations chief, Mohammad Afif, was killed in an Israeli airstrike.

The attack targeted a building in Beirut’s Ras al-Nabaa neighborhood, an area that has recently become a haven for those displaced by bombing in the city’s southern suburbs.

Israel, which rarely targets senior Hezbollah figures without direct military roles, announced on Sunday night that it had “eliminated” Afif.

Lebanese authorities stated that the strike resulted in one death and three injuries. A separate attack later in the day hit Mar Elias Street, another area of Beirut not typically struck by Israeli forces, killing two people and wounding 22, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.

The latest strikes are part of a year-long exchange of fire between Hezbollah and Israel, sparked in October 2023 by the group’s attacks on Israeli military sites following Hamas’s assault on southern Israel.

Israeli officials stated that Hezbollah rockets have since claimed the lives of both civilians and soldiers.

The broader conflict has inflicted a heavy toll on Lebanon. Over the past year, Israeli operations in Lebanon have resulted in 3,841 deaths and nearly 15,000 injuries, according to the Lebanese health ministry.

However, observers say the majority of those killed are believed to be Hezbollah fighters and members.

Sunday’s airstrike in Ras al-Nabaa also destroyed a building housing offices of Lebanon’s Ba’ath Party, according to local sources.

Ali Hijazi, the party’s leader in Lebanon, confirmed Afif was inside at the time. Footage aired by local broadcasters showed the upper floors of the building collapsed, with rescue crews working amidst the debris.

Mohammad Afif, a longtime media adviser to Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah, played a pivotal role in shaping the group’s media narrative.

He previously managed its Al-Manar television channel and frequently addressed reporters during times of heightened conflict.

The incident underscores the deepening crisis between Hezbollah and Israel, as both sides continue to inflict devastating losses.

(With files from Reuters)