Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Sunday that Israel will answer attacks on its soldiers and civilians after a Hezbollah suicide drone seriously wounded three IDF troops in southern Lebanon.
“No score on any front will remain unsettled,” Katz wrote on X. “We will forcefully defend our soldiers and citizens.”
The warning followed a Hezbollah drone strike early Saturday against Israeli forces operating in the Ali Taher Ridge area of southern Lebanon. The wounded officer and soldiers were evacuated to Rambam Medical Center in Haifa. Israeli media reported that two remained sedated and ventilated in intensive care, while the third had stabilized and was listed in moderate condition.
Israel responded by eliminating senior Hezbollah figures involved in attacks on IDF forces.
The IDF said it killed Abu Hassan Alaa, a senior Hezbollah commander, in the Deir ez-Zahrani area. According to the military, Alaa helped advance attacks against Israeli troops in the security zone, including drone operations.
The army also confirmed the killing of Ali Samir al-Haj Hassan, a battalion commander in Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, in a strike in Ansar. Lebanese authorities said Israeli strikes killed 11 people, including women and children. The IDF said Hassan was targeted inside a Hezbollah military headquarters and accused him of using his own family as human shields.
🔴ELIMINATED: Ali Samir Al-Haj Hassan, a Hezbollah battalion commander in the Radwan Force unit.
Hassan was eliminated in an IDF strike on a central HQ of the Radwan Force unit in the Ansar area in southern Lebanon, following a Hezbollah terror attack against IDF soldiers…
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 15, 2026
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Hezbollah violated the ceasefire by attacking Israeli soldiers in the security zone, which exists to protect communities just across the border.
Lebanon’s leaders condemned the Israeli strikes and warned they could harm US-backed talks between Jerusalem and Beirut. Israeli officials answered that Hezbollah is the party trying to derail diplomacy.
Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter said Lebanon would hand “a tactical victory to the enemies of peace” if it used the incident to delay negotiations.
Hezbollah attacked IDF soldiers operating in the Security Zone, in violation of the ceasefire agreement.
In response, the IDF acted decisively against the Hezbollah commander who ordered the attack — a terrorist who used his own family as human shields inside a Hezbollah… https://t.co/PdqJPsGFka
— Ambassador Yechiel (Michael) Leiter (@yechielleiter) August 15, 2026
Netanyahu spokesman Doron Spielman said the flare-up should “jump-start” more serious talks, because the enemy is clear: Hezbollah.
The June framework envisioned Israeli withdrawals tied to Hezbollah’s disarmament. Hezbollah was not party to the agreement and continues to reject calls to lay down its weapons.
Israel’s message is that talks may continue, but Hezbollah will not receive immunity while they do.
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