SIDON: An Israeli strike on Wednesday killed a Fatah official in the southern Lebanese city of Sidon, a senior member of the Palestinian group and a security source said.
It is the first such attack on Fatah, the Palestinian movement led by President Mahmud Abbas, in more than 10 months of cross-border clashes between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement.
“The Israeli strike in Sidon killed (Fatah) group official Khalil Makdah,” said Fathi Abu Al-Aradat, a senior member of the group that rivals Gaza’s rulers Hamas.
A Lebanese security source confirmed the report to Western media saying the strike hit his car. According to media reports a car was struck near the Palestinian camps of Ain Al-Helweh and Mieh Mieh, adding rescuers had pulled a body from the burned vehicle.
Lebanon’s official National News Agency has said Makdah was killed in a drone strike on his car. Mounir Makdah, who heads the Lebanese branch of Fatah’s armed wing, told media that his brother Khalil had been assassinated in the Israeli strike.
Hezbollah and its allies have exchanged regular fire with Israel in support of its ally Hamas since the war in Gaza started on October 7 last year. But Fatah has not announced any strikes on Israel from Lebanon.
It is pertinent to mention that Fatah controls the Palestinian Authority, which has partial administrative control in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
