Israel confirms killing senior Hezbollah UAV commander

The announcement did not specify where or when Bahja was killed.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

Israel confirmed on Tuesday it killed a senior Hezbollah UAV commander.

The announcement comes as the Israel Defense Forces vowed to eliminate Hezbollah’s Unit 127, which oversees the terror group’s unmanned aerial vehicles.

The commander was identified as Khader Al-Abed Bahja, who oversaw the Hezbollah Aerial Unit’s activities north of the Litani River.

The announcement did not specify where or when Bahja was killed.

“Under Bahja’s command, numerous aerial attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops were carried out from the area, making use of UAVs, surveillance aircraft, and explosive aircraft,” the IDF said.

Israeli military officials said dismantling Unit 127 would become a high priority after four soldiers were killed and nearly 60 injured when a drone struck the dining room of an army base in the central Binyamin region on Sunday night.

After the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, the Iran-backed Hezbollah began firing rockets and launching drones at northern Israel communities daily.

According to figures released by the government on Sept. 29, more than 68,000 residents of northern Israel are displaced from their homes.

Hezbollah leaders have repeatedly said they would continue the attacks to prevent Israelis from returning to their homes.

According to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Second Lebanon War, the terror group is forbidden from operating in southern Lebanon south of the Litani River.