Fatah Commander Killed in Lebanon
- Fatah commander Khalil al-Maqdah was killed in a strike on his car in Sidon, Lebanon.
- The attack was carried out by Israel as confirmed by Fatah and a Lebanese security source.
- This incident escalates tensions in the region and raises concerns about further conflict.
On August 21, Israel conducted a targeted strike in Sidon, Lebanon, killing Khalil al-Maqdah, a senior member of the Palestinian movement Fatah. Israeli military sources accused al-Maqdah of orchestrating attacks in the West Bank and claimed he was involved in smuggling weapons. The military also linked him to his brother, Mounir al-Maqdah, who leads Fatah's armed wing, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, alleging their collaboration with Iran's Revolutionary Guards. Fatah condemned the operation, labeling it a "cowardly assassination" carried out by Israeli warplanes. They described al-Maqdah as a significant leader within the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades in Lebanon. A senior Fatah official in Ramallah suggested that the assassination was a deliberate act by Israel to incite a broader regional conflict, highlighting the ongoing tensions in the area. The incident marks a notable escalation in the ongoing hostilities between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah, which have intensified following the Gaza war that erupted after Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7. Fatah supporters reacted with anger, gathering in the Ain al-Hilweh camp and firing gunshots in the air, signaling rising tensions within the Palestinian community in Lebanon. The broader conflict has seen regular exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israel, with significant casualties reported on both sides, including 23 Israeli soldiers and 26 civilians since the onset of the Gaza war.