Israeli military says killed head of Hezbollah's communications network

JERUSALEM -- Israel's military announced on Friday that it killed the head of Hezbollah's communications network, Mohammad Rashid Sakafi, in a "precise, intelligence-based" strike in Lebanon's capital Beirut on Thursday.

Sakafi has been responsible for Hezbollah's communications unit since 2000 and has "invested significant efforts to develop communication capabilities between all of Hezbollah's units," the military said in a statement.

Israel has recently intensified airstrikes on Beirut and its suburbs, mainly targeting Hezbollah officials and facilities. At the same time, it has launched what it describes as a "limited" ground operation into Lebanon.

Israel's escalations further fuel its ongoing clashes with Hezbollah that started on Oct 8, 2023, when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in support of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, triggering Israeli retaliatory fire and airstrikes in southeastern Lebanon.