The fragile peace that has held since November 2024 collapsed early Monday morning as the Israel Defence Forces launched a broad wave of airstrikes across Lebanon, targeting the Dahiyeh district in southern Beirut. These precision strikes, which the IDF claims targeted senior operatives and terrorist infrastructure, were a direct retaliation for a volley of Hezbollah projectiles fired into northern Israel overnight. This cross-border exchange marks a violent end to the ceasefire and follows the reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during the onset of a joint US-Israeli bombing campaign in Iran this past Saturday.
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Israeli air attacks on Lebanon have killed at least 31 people and wounded 149, Al Jazeera said quoting the country’s health ministry.
Amid the wreckage in the Lebanese capital, reports from Saudi-owned outlets Al-Arabiya and Al-Hadath indicate that Mohammad Raad, the influential head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, was among at least 10 people killed.
While the IDF has confirmed the strikes on senior terrorists in Beirut and southern Lebanon, it has yet to officially verify the names of the individuals killed.
The military action signalled a significant shift in Israeli strategy, with IDF Northern Command Chief MG Rafi Milo stating that Hezbollah has prioritised the Iranian regime over the Lebanese state. He warned that the group would pay a heavy price for initiating attacks on civilians, noting that Israeli forces are now deploying along the northern border.
Political fallout and domestic tension
The resumption of hostilities has drawn a sharp rebuke from Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, whose administration has been consistently pushing for the disarmament of Hezbollah to bolster national sovereignty.
In a carefully worded statement that avoided naming the group directly, President Aoun condemned the Israeli aggression but simultaneously slammed the rocket attacks that triggered it. He cautioned that using Lebanon as a platform for proxy wars undermines Beirut’s exhaustive efforts to remain neutral in the widening regional conflict.
The internal rift within Lebanon is deepening as the government struggles to contain the fallout of Hezbollah’s military decisions. President Aoun’s warnings reflect a growing fear that the country, already reeling from economic instability, will be dragged into a full-scale war.
Despite the intensity of the strikes, the IDF has informed residents in northern Israel that evacuations are not currently necessary, though they have begun actively urging civilians in southern Lebanon to move away from Hezbollah-affiliated sites ahead of further planned waves of bombardment.
Mohammad Raad: Voice of the Resistance
Mohammad Raad has long been the primary political face of Hezbollah, bridging the gap between the group’s militant activities and its role as a major player in the Lebanese Parliament.
Born in Beirut in 1955, Raad’s journey into the heart of the organisation began in academia and media. As a founding member of the party, he served as the first editor-in-chief of Hezbollah’s official newspaper, Al-Ahed, before transitioning into the political sphere. Since 1992, he has represented the Nabatieh District in southern Lebanon and held a seat on the Shura Council, the group’s supreme decision-making body.
As the head of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc, Raad functioned as a high-level liaison, wading through the complex web of Lebanese sectarian politics and international diplomacy. His influence was significant enough to draw the attention of the US Treasury Department, which placed him under sanctions in 2019 for his leadership role within the organisation.
His political life was often overshadowed by personal sacrifice. In November 2023, his son, Abbas Raad, a member of the elite Radwan Force, was killed in an Israeli airstrike, a loss that further solidified his status within the group’s hierarchy.
The reported death of Mohammad Raad on March 2, 2026, represents a major blow to Hezbollah’s political infrastructure. If confirmed by official party channels, his passing would signify the loss of a veteran strategist who helped transform Hezbollah from a local militia into a dominant political force.
His killing at this juncture suggests that the current military campaign is aimed not just at degrading Hezbollah’s physical arsenal, but also at decapitating its long-standing political leadership.
