"Helpless observer": Hezbollah urges Lebanese government to deter Israel

Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, Hezbollah condemned the killing of Sheikh Hussein Atwi, a senior commander in al-Fajr Forces, the military wing of the Islamic Group party, in an Israeli airstrike south of Beirut.

Sheikh Abdul Majid Ammar, head of Hezbollah’s Islamic relations, called the strike a violation of Lebanese sovereignty and part of Israel’s continued targeting of the resistance. “The resistance is one, and the enemy is one."

Ammar accused Israel of acting with US backing and blamed “international silence for enabling further escalation,” urging the Lebanese state to step out of the role of a “helpless observer” and take immediate, concrete steps through all available means to deter future attacks.

Atwi, a university professor and prominent figure in the Group, had previously survived an Israeli assassination attempt.

Al-Fajr Forces, aligned with Hezbollah and Hamas, participated in cross-border attacks during the 2023–2024 conflict. Although a ceasefire was reached in November 2024, Israel has continued targeting leaders of armed groups in Lebanon, citing "security threats."