Israel claims killing Palestinian Islamic Jihad Commander
Jerusalem, May 18
The Israel Defence Force on Monday claimed that it has eliminated the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Commander of the Bekaa region in Lebanon.
The IDF posted on X saying that "The IDF struck overnight in the Baalbek area and eliminated the terrorist Wael Mahmoud Abdel Halim, who served as the Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander of the Bekaa region in Lebanon."
According to IDF, Abdel Halim led the joining of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorists in the fighting alongside Hezbollah in Lebanon and acted to advance terror plots against IDF forces in recent times.
On Sunday, the IDF claimed that it had eliminated the Hamas operations headquarters' Commander who had advanced terror plots against Israeli forces.
"IDF forces in the Southern Command eliminated Bahaa Baroud yesterday, a commander in the operations headquarters of the Hamas terror organisation," the IDF said on X.
It detailed that Baroud operated throughout the war and particularly in recent times to plan and advance numerous terror plots by Hamas against the IDF forces in the Gaza Strip and the citizens of Israel.
"Baroud posed an immediate threat to IDF forces and was eliminated in a precise aerial strike," the IDF claimed.
Meanwhile, Lebanon President Joseph Aoun on Monday vowed to do the "impossible" to stop the war against "Lebanon and its people".
"The framework that Lebanon has set for the negotiations consists of the Israeli withdrawal, the ceasefire, the deployment of the army along the borders, the return of the displaced, and economic or financial assistance to Lebanon. Anything else being discussed otherwise is incorrect," Aoun noted on X.
Last week, a spokesperson for the US State Department said that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 45-day extension of their ceasefire that took effect last month.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The difference between a 'terrorist' and a 'freedom fighter' is often just which side you're on. India has always advocated for a two-state solution, but these kinds of assassinations make that impossible. Lebanon's president promising to stop the war is admirable, but with operations like this, how can anyone expect peace? The US supporting this only complicates matters further. 🤷♀️
Absolutely justified action by the IDF. Hamas and PIJ are terrorist organizations that target civilians, just like the groups we've faced in Kashmir. India has always supported Israel's right to self-defense, and this is a clear example of surgical precision. However, we must also ensure that the 45-day ceasefire extension leads to real peace, not just a pause to regroup. 🇮🇳🤝🇮🇱
Honestly, this is exhausting. Every week there's a new targeted killing, and then a new rocket attack, and then more civilian deaths on both sides. As someone who grew up watching the India-Pakistan conflict, I see the same pattern here. The only solution is for outside powers to stop arming both sides and push for genuine diplomatic talks. Killing commanders just creates more martyrs and more recruits. 😞
Important context: This is happening in Lebanon, not Gaza. That's a significant escalation. Hezbollah is the most powerful force in Lebanon now, and these strikes could drag the entire region into a wider war. India needs to tread carefully in its diplomatic stance here—we have a large diaspora in the Gulf, and any escalation affects our energy security and our people abroad.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.