Hezbollah chief’s aide killed in Beirut strike; militants retaliate with rockets at Israel

Israel’s military said it killed a senior aide to Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem in a strike in Beirut, as tensions escalated despite a ceasefire between Iran and the United States.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the strike on Wednesday killed Ali Yusuf Harshi, described as the personal secretary and close adviser to Qassem.

Harshi “played a central role in managing and securing his office,” the military said.

The Iran-backed group Hezbollah said it fired rockets towards Israel, citing violations of the ceasefire.

“In response to the enemy’s violation of the ceasefire agreement,” Hezbollah targeted the Israeli border settlement of Manara with a rocket barrage, it said.

The group said it has the “right” to respond to Israeli strikes in Lebanon.

Lebanon declared a day of mourning after attacks killed over 254 people and injured more than 1,165 in a single day, according to officials.

Ceasefire scope disputed

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Lebanon is not covered under the Iran-US ceasefire.

US Vice President JD Vance also said Washington had not committed to including Lebanon in the truce.

However, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the agreement included a pause in fighting in Lebanon.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the terms of the ceasefire were clear and warned the US must choose between maintaining the truce or continuing conflict through Israel.

The strike in Beirut is part of Israel’s continued operations targeting senior figures of Hezbollah, even as a limited ceasefire between Iran and the United States holds. Israeli officials maintain that Hezbollah’s activities in Lebanon fall outside the truce framework.

The exchange of fire along the Israel-Lebanon border has intensified, raising concerns of a wider regional escalation. Analysts say the killing of a close aide to Naim Qassem could disrupt internal coordination within the group. The situation remains volatile, with conflicting interpretations of the ceasefire terms by regional stakeholders adding to uncertainty.