In a decisive response to persistent cross-border aggression, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced the targeted killing of Ali Avar al-Nabi Khazi—a senior Hezbollah commander—in a daytime drone strike near Blida, southern Lebanon, on Thursday. This operation forms part of Israel’s ongoing effort to neutralize threats from Iranian-backed terrorist entities and restore security to its northern communities, which have faced regular rocket, missile, and drone attacks since Hezbollah escalated hostilities in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led massacre.
According to the IDF spokesperson, the strike in the Blida sector—an area notorious for Hezbollah entrenchment—specifically eliminated Khazi, identified as the deputy commander of Hezbollah’s Muhaybib sector. Security officials say Khazi played a critical role in directing and orchestrating operations against Israeli targets, including the planning and execution of coordinated rocket and anti-tank guided missile attacks into the Upper Galilee.
This targeted action follows months of intensifying hostilities on Israel’s northern border, where Hezbollah, under direction from Tehran, has significantly increased offensive activity. These actions have included direct rocket fire into civilian population centers, the use of explosive-laden drones, and attempts at cross-border infiltration—all designed to open a second front as part of Iran’s campaign to encircle and pressure Israel via regional proxies.
Background: Iran and its Proxies
Hezbollah, armed and trained by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), forms part of what Tehran calls the “axis of resistance”—an alliance that includes Hamas in Gaza, Islamic Jihad, Houthi forces in Yemen, and various militias in Iraq and Syria. These organizations are united by their explicit goal to destabilize Israel and the broader Middle East, using asymmetric warfare and terror tactics against civilian populations and military targets alike.
The October 7 Hamas massacre, in which terrorists from Gaza killed nearly 1,200 Israeli men, women, and children—often through barbaric means—and abducted over 250 more, marked a turning point in the region. Since then, Hezbollah has increased its harassment of Israel, creating a de facto active front along the Lebanon border and compounding the suffering of both Israeli and Lebanese civilians. Over 80,000 Israelis have been displaced from the north due to daily bombardment, with homes, infrastructure, and livelihoods destroyed by Hezbollah attacks. Many attacks emanate from Lebanese villages, violating international law and employing local Lebanese populations as human shields.
Operation and Military Context
Ali Avar al-Nabi Khazi’s death is considered a tactical victory for Israel. The IDF’s intelligence and surveillance assets enabled precise targeting of the Hezbollah commander, minimizing collateral damage and reaffirming the military’s commitment to acting in self-defense. Israeli officials emphasize that these operations are distinguishable from Hezbollah’s indiscriminate and unlawful targeting of Israeli civilian areas, which are designed to inflict terror, disrupt daily life, and send a political message dictated by Iran.
Hezbollah is responsible for amassing an arsenal exceeding 150,000 rockets—many provided and upgraded by Iran—positioned throughout southern Lebanon in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701. The Lebanese government, constrained by Hezbollah’s military and political dominance, has proved unable or unwilling to fully enforce state authority south of the Litani River, permitting the Iranian proxy to act with near total impunity.
Israel’s Response and Strategic Doctrine
The elimination of Khazi is part of Operation Northern Arrows, Israel’s military campaign aimed at degrading Hezbollah’s operational capacity along the frontier, particularly that of its elite forces and command structure. The campaign has seen hundreds of IDF precision strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure, command bunkers, and arms depots across southern Lebanon. Senior Israeli officials, including Defense Minister Israel Katz and Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, maintain these defensive operations are necessary to restore security to affected northern communities and to deter wider escalation that could engulf the region.
Regional and International Implications
The cycle of violence along the northern border is of grave concern not only for Israel but for regional stability. The United States and European allies have repeatedly recognized Israel’s right to defend its citizens and have called for Hezbollah to halt its attacks and withdraw its forces as required by international agreements. The Biden Administration, consistent with longstanding US policy, supports Israel’s operations while urging restraint and civilian protection.
Meanwhile, within Lebanon, tensions simmer as Hezbollah’s use of population centers for military operations endangers Lebanese civilians. There is documented resentment among some Lebanese citizens toward Hezbollah for drawing the country into a broader Iranian-Israeli conflict. However, Hezbollah’s dominance over local governance and security forces stifles dissent and ensures its continued ability to operate from Lebanese territory.
Future Prospects
The IDF has signaled that it will continue precision operations against Hezbollah leadership and its offensive capabilities for as long as the northern threat persists. Israeli officials have reiterated calls for effective international enforcement of UN resolutions, stressing the danger posed to both Israel and Lebanon by the presence of powerful, armed militias outside state control. There is little expectation that Hezbollah’s leadership—backed robustly by Iran—will end its campaign absent substantial external pressure or the imposition of consequences for ongoing violations.
Conclusion
The elimination of Ali Avar al-Nabi Khazi in Blida is emblematic of Israel’s broader campaign to safeguard its sovereignty and civilian population against determined and well-armed Iranian proxies. As Israel continues efforts to suppress the threat, it faces an adversary deeply entrenched on its border, supported by regional and global powers intent on destabilization. In responding to ongoing and significant attacks, Israel reiterates that its operations are compelled by legal and moral imperatives of self-defense, rooted in the enduring principle that every state has the right—and the duty—to protect its people from terror.
