In a tragic escalation of violence, Israeli forces targeted and killed Hassan Farhat, a senior commander of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, in a pre-dawn airstrike in the Lebanese city of Sidon on April 4, 2025. Farhat’s adult son, Hamza, and daughter, Jenan, were also killed in the attack, which has raised significant concern over the ongoing violence in the region.
The Israeli military confirmed that Farhat had orchestrated several deadly attacks on Israeli soldiers and civilians, including a February 2024 rocket strike on the Israeli town of Safed, which killed an Israeli soldier. The airstrike comes as tensions between Israel and Lebanon remain high, particularly with groups like Hezbollah and Hamas involved in continued hostilities since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam strongly condemned the strike, describing it as a “flagrant attack on Lebanese sovereignty.” He also called it a breach of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, which has been in place since November 2024.
The strike in Sidon left widespread damage, with a nearby apartment block catching fire following two successive explosions. Local authorities confirmed that at least three people were killed in the attack, and emergency teams were deployed to recover the bodies.
The killing of Farhat has sparked outrage across Lebanon, with many calling for international pressure on Israel to stop its military actions in the region. As the conflict persists, the human toll continues to rise, leaving communities in fear and uncertainty.
