Israeli Attack Kills Hezbollah Leader's Adviser in Lebanon

The Israeli military (IDF) claimed that they had killed a personal adviser to the leader of the Hezbollah group, Naim Qassem, in an attack in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, on Wednesday (8/4) local time. “Yesterday, the IDF attacked in the Beirut area and killed Ali Yusuf Harshi, the personal secretary and nephew of Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem,” stated the Israeli military, as reported by Reuters news agency and Al Arabiya on Thursday (9/4/2026). Harshi was a “close associate and personal adviser to Qassem and played a central role in managing and securing his office,” it added. The Israeli military also stated that they attacked “two main crossings used by Hezbollah to move weapons south of the Litani River, along with 10 weapons storage sites, launchers, and command centres in southern Lebanon.” On Wednesday, Israel carried out attacks in the neighbouring country of Lebanon, including in the densely populated central Beirut. This was Israel’s largest attack since the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah joined the war in early March. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the ceasefire with Iran does not include the Hezbollah group in Lebanon. The IDF described the latest bombardment of Lebanon on Wednesday as the largest wave of airstrikes on the country. The IDF claimed to have attacked more than 100 Hezbollah command centres and military locations within 10 minutes. The southern outskirts of Beirut, southern Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley in the east were targeted. The Lebanese Ministry of Health said at least 182 people were killed and 890 injured. That number adds to the death toll since Israel launched attacks on Lebanon six weeks ago. Previously, 1,700 people had died, including 130 children, in the country, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.