Israel said it wiped out the Hezbollah chief’s top secretary in targeted strikes on Lebanon overnight — as it ramped up attacks Thursday despite the risk of throwing President Trump’s Iran war cease-fire into turmoil.
Ali Youssef Kharshi, the secretary and nephew of Hezbollah honcho Naim Qassem, was killed in Beirut amid the fresh wave of bombings, the Israel Defense Forces said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also confirmed the strike while vowing such attacks on Iran-backed Hezbollah proxies across Lebanon would only continue with “force, precision and determination.”
“In Beirut, we eliminated Ali Youssef Kharshi, the personal secretary of Hezbollah terror organization Secretary-General Naim Qassem and one of the people closest to him,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
“At the same time, overnight, the IDF struck a series of terror infrastructures in southern Lebanon: crossings used to transfer thousands of weapons, rockets, and launchers, as well as weapons depots, launchers, and Hezbollah headquarters.”
“Our message is clear: Whoever acts against Israeli civilians — will be struck,” he added.
The fresh onslaught came after Israel launched its largest-ever blitz on Lebanon on Wednesday, striking 100 targets in 10 minutes and killing more than 250 people, according to Lebanese officials.
The airstrikes unfolded just hours after Trump unveiled the cease-fire with Iran and amid a disagreement over whether it included a pause in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.
Israel, as well as Trump, have insisted Lebanon is excluded from the truce — despite Iran arguing it was explicitly part of the deal.
In response, Hezbollah — which initially said it would pause attacks on Israel — announced it would resume firing rockets Thursday.
With Post wires
