26 Apr 2024 | 05:48 PM UTC
Lebanon: Israeli airstrikes kill senior member of Lebanon's Islamic Group in Meidoun April 26 /update 1
Israel strikes Meidoun in Beqa'a, Lebanon, April 26, killing senior member of Islamic Group. Further-cross border violence likely.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reportedly conducted a precision strike in Meidoun in the Beqa'a Governorate on April 26, killing Matzab Khalaf; Khalaf served as a senior member within the Islamic Group (al-Juma'ah al-Islamiyah) in Lebanon. Earlier reports indicated that the IDF strikes may have killed two members of the Lebanese Hizballah (LH) organization in the area. The Israeli airstrikes come at a time when LH and other militant groups have been regularly launching projectiles into northern Israel.
Heightened security and disruptions to transport and business are likely in the affected area over the coming hours. Further cross-border violence is likely over the short term.
Avoid the impacted location until authorities give the all-clear. Plan for localized disruptions, allow additional time for travel, and seek alternative routes to circumvent the affected area. Heed all official directives.
The Islamic Group in Lebanon is a Sunni militant organization that emerged in the mid-1960s. The group is the Lebanese branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.
The IDF has regularly retaliated against projectile attacks by the LH and other militant groups in Lebanon. However, it has increasingly begun targeting militant groups' military infrastructure deeper inside Lebanon in an effort to deter them from further attacks.
