The head of Hezbollah’s medium-range rocket array was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the area of Kfar Jouz in Southern Lebanon on Monday, the Israel Defense Forces said on Tuesday.

According to the IDF, Ali Tawfiq Dweiq was responsible for the launch of more than 300 rockets at Israel, including at Haifa and central Israel, since taking command of the rocket array in September.

“Over the past few months, the IDF struck dozens of terrorist infrastructure sites used by Hezbollah’s medium-range rocket array, including launchers that were aimed toward the State of Israel, weapons storage facilities and additional terrorist infrastructure,” the IDF said on Tuesday.

Hezbollah has launched some 16,000 rockets, missiles and drones from Lebanon at Israel since joining the war in support of Hamas on Oct. 8, 2023, a day after the Gaza-based terrorist group’s massacre in southern Israel. Over 60,000 residents of northern Israel remain internally displaced due to the ongoing rocket and drone attacks from Lebanon, which have caused widespread material damage and multiple deaths and injuries.

Targeted raids begin on central Hezbollah stronghold

The IDF’s 98th Division has begun conducting targeted, intelligence-based raids against a central Hezbollah terror stronghold in Southern Lebanon, the army said on Tuesday.

Ground and aerial forces have struck dozens of targets in the terror stronghold, including launchers, command centers, weapons storage facilities and observation posts, according to the IDF.

Hezbollah weapons found in a schoolyard

During ground operations in Southern Lebanon, Israeli forces found Hezbollah terror assets in the courtyard of a local village school, according to the IDF.

Ammunition, firearms, explosives and an observation post were located in the schoolyard. The weapons were confiscated.

“This serves as further proof of Hezbollah’s cynical use of civilian infrastructure for its terrorist activities, which endangers the residents of Southern Lebanon,” the military said.

During further searches in the area, troops located and dismantled underground terrorist infrastructure. Hundreds of weapons, ammunition, cannons and RPGs were seized.

“IDF troops continue conducting limited, localized, targeted raids based on precise intelligence to neutralize and dismantle terrorist infrastructure in Southern Lebanon,” the IDF said.

(JNS)