Iranian outlet Tasnim on Sunday reported that Hezbollah leader Ali Mohammed Younis was assassinated in southern Lebanon overnight.
According to reports, his body was found by the side of a road with stab and gunshot wounds between the towns of Qaqiyat al-Jisr and Zutar al-Gharbiya to the south of Nabatiyeh.
«#علی_محمد_یونس» از فرماندهان ارشد حزب الله در جنوب لبنان ترور شد و به شهادت رسید pic.twitter.com/5VbCS7Jbkv
— خبرگزاری تسنیم 🇮🇷 (@Tasnimnews_Fa) April 5, 2020
The reports also mention that Younis was a close associate of Qasem Soleimani, commander of Iran’s Quds Force who was killed in a US airstrike in January.
A video that has recently appeared on Twitter shows a minaret announcing Younis's death in southern Lebanon.
🎥 اعلام خبر شهادت شهید جبهه مقاومت #علی_محمد_یونس از فراز مناره مسجد pic.twitter.com/hJ02TYiPjx
— خبرگزاری تسنیم 🇮🇷 (@Tasnimnews_Fa) April 5, 2020
On 3 January, a US drone strike authorised by President Trump killed Soleimani and Shia militia commander Abu Mahdi Muhandis who both were in a car at the Baghdad International Airport.
As Soleimani’s assassination led to a major escalation of tensions between Tehran and Washington, Iran responded by launching airstrikes against two Iraqi military bases housing US troops.
Though the strikes caused no deaths or serious injuries, the Pentagon later reported that at least 109 US service members had been diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries.