Israeli defense officials assess that Balout was killed along with his deputy and several other terrorists.
By The IDF Club
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz approved a precision Israeli airstrike in the heart of Beirut on Wednesday, targeting Malek Balout, commander of the elite Radwan Force of the Hezbollah, in a bid to eliminate one of the group’s most dangerous field leaders.
The strike was carried out successfully, and Israeli defense officials assess that Balout was killed along with his deputy and several other terrorists. A source close to Hezbollah also told AFP that the Radwan Force commander was killed in the attack, though Lebanese sources moved quickly to deny reports that both he and his deputy were hit.
Balout, who took command of the Radwan Force in January 2024 following the killing of his predecessor Wissam al-Tawil, had since overseen Hezbollah’s operational plans for a potential ground infiltration into Israel, as well as rocket fire targeting northern Israeli communities.
In a joint statement, Netanyahu and Katz said the IDF struck the Radwan Force commander in Beirut “in order to thwart him,” adding that the unit’s operatives were responsible for attacks on Israeli towns and harm to Israeli soldiers.
“No terrorist has immunity,” the statement read. “Israel’s long arm will reach any enemy and any murderer.”
A senior Israeli official said the political leadership had directed the military to carry out the targeted killing as part of a broader policy to neutralize emerging threats. The strike was described as a precise operation conducted in line with that strategy.
According to Israeli assessments, the Hezbollah command center that was struck had been used to issue directives for ceasefire violations, including attacks on Israeli forces and civilian communities.
