Israeli Airstrike in Lebanon Targets and Kills Hezbollah Drone Unit Commander

On September 26, 2024, an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut resulted in the death of Mohammed Srur, the head of Hezbollah’s drone unit, according to statements from both the Israeli military and the militant group. The Israeli military confirmed that its fighter jets had "targeted and eliminated" Srur, identifying him as the commander of Hezbollah’s air unit.

Israeli soldiers work on tanks in northern Israel on Sept. 27, 2024. | Photo Credit: AP

Hezbollah, which receives backing from Iran, stated that Srur, born in 1973, was killed in the attack. This strike marked the fourth operation within a week aimed at eliminating Hezbollah commanders in the area, a known stronghold for the group.

Lebanon’s health ministry reported that the airstrike killed two individuals and injured 15 others, including a woman who is in critical condition. Local reports indicated that the attack involved three missiles that struck a residential apartment in a ten-story building.

Sources close to Hezbollah revealed that Srur had a background in mathematics and was part of a team sent to Yemen to train the Houthi rebels, who also have Iranian support.

The site of the recent strike was in proximity to a location where another Hezbollah leader, Ibrahim Aqil, and several commanders were killed in a previous strike just a week prior. That earlier attack reportedly resulted in 55 fatalities, including seven children.