Hamas confirms killing of al-Qassam senior commander, wife, children in Israeli airstrike in Lebanon

Hamas in Lebanon confirmed on Saturday morning the death of a senior commander from its military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, in an Israeli airstrike on his residence in the Beddawi refugee camp in northern Lebanon.

The airstrike targeted the home of Saeed Ali, a high-ranking commander in the al-Qassam Brigades, according to an Anadolu correspondent.

The bombing resulted in the deaths of Ali, his wife Shaimaa Khalil Azzam, and their two daughters, Zeinab and Fatima.

In a statement, Hamas said that "the Israeli airstrike targeted the residence of Saeed Ali, leading to his martyrdom along with his family."

"Israel's leadership will pay for their criminal decisions against our people," it added.

Ali's assassination follows that of Fatah Sharif, another Hamas leader in Lebanon, who was killed earlier this week in a similar Israeli airstrike on his home in the Burj al-Shemali camp in southern Lebanon.

Since the onset of the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel in Oct. 2023, Israel has carried out a series of airstrikes against Hamas officials and al-Qassam members in Lebanon. One of the most notable strikes was the Jan. 2, 2024, assassination of Saleh al-Arouri, Hamas' deputy leader, in a drone strike on Beirut's southern suburbs.

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of Israel's war on Gaza, which has killed over 41,800 people, most of them women and children, following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last October.

At least 2,011 people have since been killed, over 9,500 injured, and 1.2 million others displaced, according to Lebanese authorities.

The international community has warned that Israeli attacks in Lebanon could escalate the Gaza conflict into a wider regional war.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi