IDF announces killing of Hezbollah Leader’s Secretary and Hamas operative allegedly posing as Al Jazeera journalist

International, Middle East

MIDDLE EAST, 9 April 2026 (NPA) — The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) has announced the killing of Ali Yosef Harshi, nephew of Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem, in a precise overnight strike on Beirut, Lebanon. According to the IDF, Harshi served as the personal secretary and close adviser to Qassem, playing a central role in managing his office and security.

The IDF further stated that it struck two key crossings used by Hezbollah to move weapons south of the Litani River, along with approximately ten weapons storage sites, rocket launchers, and command centres in southern Lebanon.

In addition, the IDF reported the targeted killing of Muhammad Samir Muhammad Washah, whom it accused of being a Hamas operative working under the guise of an Al Jazeera journalist. Washah was alleged to be a senior figure in Hamas’s rocket and weapons production headquarters, involved in the manufacture and transfer of arms through Gaza.

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Yesterday marked one of the most intense Israeli assaults on Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon, with over 100 sites targeted. The IDF claimed that individuals killed in the strikes were actively involved in planning attacks against Israeli forces and posed a direct threat to troops operating in the area.