RAYAK, Lebanon — Eight Hezbollah militants died in Israeli military strikes in eastern Lebanon late Friday, according to two officials from the militant organization who spoke anonymously to The Associated Press.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported a higher casualty count of 10 deaths and 24 injuries, though their figures did not separate combatants from civilians.
The strikes targeted an area close to Rayak village in northeastern Lebanon, where Associated Press journalists observed significant damage to a three-story structure, with the upper level completely destroyed.
Israeli military officials confirmed Saturday that they had “eliminated” multiple Hezbollah missile unit personnel across three separate command facilities in the Baalbek region.
According to the Israeli army, those killed were “operating to accelerate readiness and force build-up processes, while planning fire attacks toward Israel.”
A Hezbollah source identified three of the deceased as regional commanders: Ali al-Moussawi, Mohammed al-Moussawi and Hussein Yaghi.
Hussein Yaghi was the son of Mohammed Yaghi, a founding member and prominent Hezbollah figure who passed away in 2023. The elder Yaghi had served as a trusted associate of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli strike in September 2024.
Ali Abdullah, who heads Rayak Hospital, confirmed to AP that his facility treated 10 fatalities and 21 wounded from the post-sunset attack. Among the dead were two foreign nationals — one Syrian man and one Ethiopian woman. The injured included five Syrians and three Ethiopians.
The current conflict traces back to the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 assault on Israel that sparked the Gaza war. Hezbollah subsequently launched rocket attacks from Lebanon into Israel, expressing solidarity with Hamas and Palestinian forces.
Israel retaliated with aerial bombardments and artillery fire. This limited engagement expanded into comprehensive warfare in September 2024, which was later curtailed by a U.S.-mediated truce agreement two months afterward.
Following the ceasefire, Israel has maintained that Hezbollah continues reconstruction efforts, prompting almost daily Israeli strikes on Lebanese territory targeting what it describes as Hezbollah operatives and installations. Hezbollah has acknowledged conducting one attack on Israel since the ceasefire took effect.
Friday’s casualty numbers represent an unusually severe toll and occur amid heightened regional tensions, as the United States has warned of potential military action against Iran — which supports both Hezbollah and Hamas — should diplomatic efforts regarding Tehran’s nuclear activities fail to achieve results.
