Israel kills Hezbollah’s intelligence chief in Syria
Photo: Israeli troops continue to eliminate Hezbollah leaders (Getty Images)
The Israeli forces conducted an operation that targeted facilities linked to Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters in Syria from the air. The operation resulted in the elimination of Mahmoud Mohammed Shaheen, the head of the group's intelligence unit, according to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
Military officials stated that the attack focused on Hezbollah's central intelligence agency, which is responsible for assessing intelligence information, overseeing intelligence activities, and, when possible, collecting and identifying intelligence data.
The IDF noted that Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters has a branch in Syria, which includes an independent network for collecting, coordinating, and evaluating intelligence data. The direct command of Hezbollah's Head of Intelligence is Hassan Ali al-Zaima, who was killed during a recent operation in the Dahiyeh area of Beirut.
According to military sources, the recent strike also eliminated Mahmoud Mohammed Shaheen, the head of Hezbollah's intelligence unit in Syria.
Shaheen held various positions within the group. In 2007, he took charge of the Syrian branch of Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters, where he gained experience and established close working relationships with the Syrian regime and officials linked to Iran. In this role, he managed the development and deployment of intelligence and air defense capabilities in coordination with various components of the Iranian axis.
"Shaheen was a significant figure in regional collaboration, and his elimination constitutes a further degradation of Hezbollah's intelligence capabilities," the statement read.
Israeli military officials also claimed that in recent weeks, the IDF has significantly impaired the operations of the group's intelligence headquarters. Military intelligence assets in Lebanon were destroyed, and the organization's ability to gather intelligence information was damaged.
"The targeting of Hezbollah’s military intelligence assets in Syria further contributes to the operations in Lebanon, undermining the intelligence abilities of the Hezbollah terrorist organization. With the support of the Syrian regime, Hezbollah endangers the safety of Syrian civilians by establishing headquarters and deploying forces in civilian areas throughout the country," the IDF stated.
IDF operations against Hezbollah
Last Sunday, Israeli forces conducted a ground raid into Syria and captured a Syrian citizen involved in an Iranian network. This marked Israel's first operation on Syrian territory during the ongoing conflict.
Additionally, the IDF conducted a naval operation in northern Lebanon. During this raid, Israeli forces captured a Hezbollah official responsible for the group's naval operations.
On November 2, Israeli forces eliminated a Hezbollah commander responsible for the initial rocket attacks on Israel on October 8, 2023.
