Hamas leader Mohammed Ibrahim Shaheen was killed in an Israeli air strike on his vehicle in Sidon, southern Lebanon, the Palestinian group confirmed on Monday.
While mourning him, Hamas’ armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, said he had a “pioneering role and special fingerprints” in their fight against Israel, including during the war on Gaza.
From its end, the Israeli army said that Shaheen was a leading Hamas figure in Lebanon, and that he was involved in firing rockets towards Israel.
The assassination comes as Israel is accused of hundreds of ceasefire violations in both Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.
In Lebanon, the Israeli army is supposed to fully withdraw its forces by Tuesday according to the ceasefire agreement, but insists on keeping control over five “strategic” positions in southern Lebanon.
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Lebanese President Joseph Aoun expressed on Monday his concern that Israel may not fully withdraw from his country and said he will work on getting Israel to leave through “diplomatic means”.
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“The Israeli enemy cannot be trusted, and we are afraid that the complete withdrawal will not be achieved tomorrow,” he said following his meeting with the editors’ syndicate. “The Lebanese response will be through a unified and comprehensive national position.”
Israel says it must retain these positions to make sure Hezbollah, which it fought a two-months war with last year, does not rearm itself near its border. It claims the Lebanese state has so far failed to disarm the group.
Aoun says the priority must be Israel’s withdrawal, “and Hezbollah’s weapons come within the solutions agreed upon by the Lebanese”.
Israel’s attacks on Lebanon killed over 4,000 people since Hezbollah launched a limited “solidarity front” with Gaza in October 2023.
Most of the dead were killed during Israel’s escalation against Lebanon, which started in late September and was paused with a truce in November.
As of 14 February, at least 57 Lebanese people had been killed by Israel since the truce went into force.
