Israel Says Drone Strike Kills Head of Hamas in Lebanon 

Lebanese army, security forces, and civil defense first responders inspect the remains of a destroyed vehicle that was reportedly hit by an Israeli strike in Lebanon's southern city of Sidon on February 17, 2025. (AFP)
Lebanese army, security forces, and civil defense first responders inspect the remains of a destroyed vehicle that was reportedly hit by an Israeli strike in Lebanon's southern city of Sidon on February 17, 2025. (AFP)
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Israel Says Drone Strike Kills Head of Hamas in Lebanon 

Lebanese army, security forces, and civil defense first responders inspect the remains of a destroyed vehicle that was reportedly hit by an Israeli strike in Lebanon's southern city of Sidon on February 17, 2025. (AFP)
Lebanese army, security forces, and civil defense first responders inspect the remains of a destroyed vehicle that was reportedly hit by an Israeli strike in Lebanon's southern city of Sidon on February 17, 2025. (AFP)

An Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon on Monday killed the head of the Palestinian Hamas group in the country, Israel's military said. 

The strike came on the eve of the deadline for Israel’s full withdrawal from southern Lebanon under the ceasefire agreement that ended the 14-month war between Israel and Hezbollah. 

The Israeli military said it killed Mohammad Shaheen, the head of Hamas’ operations department in Lebanon. The army accused Shaheen of “recently planning terror attacks, directed and funded by Iran, from Lebanese territory against the citizens of the state of Israel.” 

Footage circulating online showed a car engulfed in flames. The strike occurred near a Lebanese army checkpoint and Sidon’s municipal sports stadium. 

The original withdrawal deadline was in late January, but under pressure from Israel, Lebanon agreed to extend it to Feb. 18. It remains unclear whether Israeli troops will complete their withdrawal by Tuesday. 

Since the ceasefire, Israel has continued airstrikes in southern and eastern Lebanon, saying it is targeting military sites containing missiles and combat equipment. Israel and Lebanon have exchanged accusations of violating the ceasefire agreement. 



Hamas Fires at Tel Aviv in First Riposte to Deadly Israel Assault

Palestinians gather around bodies outside the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza - AFP
Palestinians gather around bodies outside the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza - AFP
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Hamas Fires at Tel Aviv in First Riposte to Deadly Israel Assault

Palestinians gather around bodies outside the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza - AFP
Palestinians gather around bodies outside the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza - AFP

Hamas said it fired rockets at Israeli commercial hub Tel Aviv on Thursday in its first military response to the growing civilian death toll from Israel's resumption of air and ground operations in Gaza.

Israel said it had closed off the territory's main north-south route as troops expanded the ground operations they resumed on Wednesday.

Gaza's civil defense agency said 504 people had been killed so far in the Israeli assault, including more than 190 children. Its previous death toll was at least 470.

The armed wing of Hamas, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, said it fired rockets at Tel Aviv in response to Israel's "massacres" of Gaza civilians.
The Israeli army said it intercepted one projectile fired from Gaza and that two others struck an uninhabited area, AFP reportd.

After weeks of stalemate, Israel resumed its air campaign early Tuesday with a wave of deadly strikes that drew widespread condemnation.

The offensive shattered a relative calm that had pervaded in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory since a ceasefire took hold on January 19.

At the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza, grieving families knelt by the bodies of their loved ones enveloped in blood-stained white shrouds.

"We want a ceasefire! We want a ceasefire!" one of them, Mohammed Hussein, told AFPTV, appealing for the international community to stop the killing.

"We are defenceless Palestinian people," he added.

On Thursday, the Israeli army banned traffic on the territory's main north-south artery.

Palestinians were seen fleeing south along Salaheddin Road near the Nusseirat refugee camp atop donkey-drawn carts piled high with belongings.

"Over the past 24 hours, Israeli soldiers have begun a targeted ground operation in the central and southern Gaza Strip in order to expand the security zone between the northern and southern parts," army spokesman Avichay Adraee said on X.

Movement along Salaheddin Road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip is prohibited "for your safety", he said.

"Instead, travel from northern Gaza to the south is possible via the Al-Rashid coastal road," Adraee added, without spelling out whether that meant movement from south to north was banned.

Asked by AFP for clarification, the army had no immediate comment.

- 'Inhumane ordeals' -

An official from Gaza's Hamas-run interior ministry said the Israeli army had closed what it calls Netzarim Junction, on Salaheddin Road just south of Gaza City, on Wednesday evening.

The official said Israeli tanks had deployed at the junction, where the road artery crosses Israel's main supply route, "following the withdrawal of American special security forces yesterday (Wednesday) morning".

He was referring to American private security contractors deployed in February after the pullback of Israeli forces under the terms of the January ceasefire.

The first stage of the ceasefire expired early this month amid deadlock over next steps.

Israel rejected negotiations for a promised second stage, calling instead for the return of all of its remaining hostages under an extended first stage.

That would have meant delaying talks on a lasting ceasefire, and was rejected by Hamas as an attempt to renegotiate the original deal.

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) on Thursday deplored "an endless unleashing of the most inhumane ordeals" on the people of Gaza since Israel resumed its military offensive.

"Israeli Forces bombardment continues from air & sea for the third day," Philippe Lazzarini wrote on X. "Under our daily watch, people in Gaza are again & again going through their worst nightmare."