Israeli Drone Strike Kills Jama’a Islamiya Commander Atawi Near Beirut
Beirut — An Israeli drone strike south of Beirut on Tuesday killed a senior commander from Jama’a Islamiya, a Sunni Islamist militant group active in Lebanon, the group confirmed in a statement. Israel later acknowledged the attack, identifying the target as Hussein Atawi, a key figure linked to both Jama’a Islamiya and Hamas.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Atawi was involved in orchestrating attacks on Israeli forces from Lebanese territory, accusing him of “planning and advancing terrorist activities” targeting soldiers stationed along the northern border.
Atawi, a commander of the group’s armed wing known as the Fajr Forces, was reportedly killed while driving from his residence to his office in the Lebanese capital.
The Fajr Forces had been active during the conflict last year, firing rockets across southern Lebanon into northern Israel. That war, which lasted nearly a year, concluded with a fragile ceasefire agreement. During the fighting, multiple members of the Fajr Forces were killed in Israeli airstrikes.
Despite the ceasefire, Israeli operations have continued across Lebanese territory, primarily targeting Hezbollah militants and weapons depots. Tuesday’s strike marks one of the rare incidents involving Jama’a Islamiya since the truce.
Lebanese authorities, Hezbollah, and Jama’a Islamiya have condemned the ongoing Israeli strikes and the continued occupation of several hilltop positions in southern Lebanon by Israeli troops. They argue such actions violate Lebanon’s sovereignty and the terms of the ceasefire.
Israel maintains that its operations are defensive, aimed at neutralizing threats to its civilian population.
The targeted killing of Atawi is expected to raise tensions along the already volatile Israel-Lebanon border, as regional instability continues to challenge the year-old truce.
