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It happened just days before Donald Trump announced that the US and Iran had reached an agreement.
The Israeli military recently carried out a targeted airstrike in southern Lebanon to eliminate a high-ranking militant leader.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the strike hit its target south of the Litani River, killing Ali Musa Daqduq, a veteran Hezbollah commander.
Daqduq had a long history of militancy that directly affected Western forces.
“In 2007, he orchestrated the kidnapping and murder of five American soldiers,” the military shared on X.
Over the course of his career, the operative rose through the ranks to lead multiple critical branches. The IDF stated that his demise “constitutes another significant blow to Hezbollah’s senior chain of command.”
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High-stakes friction
Fox News notes that the timing of the strike sparked immediate outrage in Washington. It coincided with intense efforts to secure a broad peace framework with Iran. President Donald Trump did not hide his frustration.
“Bibi should not have done what he did,” Trump told Fox News reporter Trey Yingst. The American leader allegedly also asked Netanyahu, “What the expletive are you doing?”
Trump expressed hope that the pact with Iran would be finalized swiftly. He promised to lift maritime blockades on Iranian ports immediately.
He also planned to urge Iran to refrain from launching any retaliatory missile strikes against Israel.
US-Iran deal ready
Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Sunday that “the deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete.”
Much about the deal is still unknown, but according to reports, the agreement will end the fighting and see the Strait of Hormuz reopen when the deal is signed on Friday.
According to Reuters, the deal has already sent oil prices tumbling on international markets, but there are still many unanswered questions about the agreement.
The IDF strike that eliminated Ali Musa Daqduq was carried out on Friday, Fox News reports.
