Killing Hezbollah Activist by Israel Violates Syrian Sovereignty - Iran

The killing of a Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah group member, Samir Kuntar, by Israel on the Syrian territory constitutes violation of the country's sovereignty, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Saturday, Kuntar was killed in an alleged Israeli airstrike that targeted a residential building near the Syrian capital Damascus.

"Assassination of Qantar [Kuntar] is violation of national sovereignty and territorial integrity of an independent state and member of the United Nations," Jaber Ansari said as quoted by IRNA news agency.

Kuntar was a former guerrilla fighter, who participated in the armed Galilee onslaught during the war between Israel and Lebanon, in which four Israelis were killed.

In Israel, Kuntar was sentenced to life in prison, and served nearly 30 years there, but was released in 2008 as part of a prisoner swap with Hezbollah. In Lebanon, Kuntar was considered a so-called hero of the resistance.

Hezbollah, a paramilitary and political organization with roots in Lebanon's Shiite population, was established in the 1980s, and since that time has engaged in military opposition to Israel's occupation of Lebanon.