Nasrallah’s Grandson Reportedly Killed in Israeli Airstrike
On March 1, 2024, Israeli airstrikes targeted towns in southern Lebanon, including Aita al-Shaab and Ramiya, where Hezbollah reported casualties, Hussein Ali Hamdan, and his wife, Manar Ahmad Abadi. Hezbollah retaliated by attacking Israeli military locations, such as the Ramim barracks and Ma’yan Baruch settlement, and claimed to have downed an Israeli drone. Significantly, Hezbollah introduced the term “flyer” for high-altitude drones, marking a strategic shift after downing an Israeli “Hermes 450” drone, revealing aspects of its air defense capabilities.
On March 2, Israeli drones struck Ramiya, killing four Hezbollah operatives, and targeted Naqoura, southern Lebanon, claiming the lives of three senior Hezbollah leaders, including Farouk Harab, Hussein Bedoui, and Abbas Khalil. Subsequent reports identified one of the seven deceased as Abbas Ahmed Khalil, grandson of Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah.
On March 3, Hezbollah launched five attacks into Israel, including targeting the Al-Manara surveillance system. Israel responded with intensified strikes, using phosphorus shells in Wazzani and artillery near Nabatieh. That night, Hezbollah claimed to have countered an Israeli infiltration in Wadi Katamoun with missile attacks, reporting direct casualties, followed by actions against the Golani Brigade near Khirbet Zarit, signaling a sharp escalation in hostilities. The total death toll of Hezbollah operatives inside Lebanon has reached 229. On March 4, due to the anticipated visit of American envoy Amos Hockstein to Lebanon, Hezbollah escalated tensions by targeting Zarait Barracks and its surroundings with artillery. Concurrently, the Israeli army engaged with heavy machine gun fire and fired flares over Tire and Bint Jbeil. A missile strike near the Lebanese border resulted in the death of one foreign worker and injured seven others, all Indian men in their 30s, near Margaliot. In retaliation, Israel struck the launch source in Lebanon.
