On April 5, a security commander of Hezbollah was “assassinated” in Lebanon’s South Governorate, the group’s main stronghold. The commander, Mohamad Ali Younis, was reportedly shot and killed by unknown assailants in Zawtar Valley.
Iran’s Fars News Agency revealed that the late commander was responsible for tracking spies and hostile operatives.
“There is no additional information on how he was killed, but according to unofficial sources, this Hezbollah commander was responsible for chasing operatives and spies,” the agency said in a short report.
Janoubia, a Lebanese blog, claimed that Younis and another personal of Hezbollah were chasing a spy when they fell in an ambush set by gunmen in three vehicles. While Younis was killed on the spot, his companion sustained injures only. These claims are highly questionable as the blog is known to be run by opponents of Hezbollah.
وكالة أنباء فارس نيوز: اغتيال القيادي في حزب الله اللبناني بجنوب #لبنان محمد علي يونس من قبل مجهولين وكان احد المقربين من قاسم سليماني
وحسب الوكالة فإن محمد يونس “كان مسؤولا عن ملاحقة العملاء والجواسيس” pic.twitter.com/297DXeAiiW— شاهو القرةداغي (@shahokurdy) April 5, 2020
اغتيال أحد قادة حزب الله في جنوب لبنان
اغتيل قبل ساعات محمد علي يونس أحد قادة حزب الله في جنوب لبنان من قبل مجهولين.
ليست هنالك معلومات اضافية حول كيفية استشهاده الا انه وفقا لمصادر غير رسمية فقد كان هذا القيادي في حزب الله مسؤولا عن ملاحقة العملاء والجواسيس. pic.twitter.com/Vj27AjS24c— عباس الموالي (@abaas_almualy) April 5, 2020
Many sources claimed that Israel’s national intelligence agency, the Mossad, was behind the assassination of Younis. However, Hezbollah is yet to release a statement confirming or denying this.
Last August, two suicide drones, allegedly launched by Israel, targeted a media center of Hezbollah in Beirut’s southern suburb. The attack was reportedly an attempt to assassinate a senior commander of the Lebanese group.
Hezbollah warned years ago that it will be holding Israel responsible for any attack on its fighters and commanders in Lebanon or even Syria. The Lebanese group usually responds to such attacks.