Israel claimed to have killed a commander of the Palestinian militant group Hamas on Friday (Apr 4) in a strike in the Lebanese port city of Sidon. The strike reportedly also killed his adult son and daughter. The Israeli military also announced the launch of a new ground offensive in Gaza City to expand the security zone. Israel has pushed since the collapse of a short-lived truce in the war with Hamas to seize erritory in Gaza. Tel Avid calls it strategy to force the militants to free hostages still in captivity. 

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In a statement, the Israeli military said, "Overnight, the (army and the domestic security agency Shin Bet) conducted a targeted strike in the Sidon area, eliminating the terrorist Hassan Farhat, commander of Hamas's western arena in Lebanon." 

Israel alleged that Farhat was responsible for multiple attacks on Israeli soldiers and civilians in the aftermath of the outbreak of war in Gaza in October 2023. The attacks included rocket fire on the Israeli town of Safed on February 14, 2024, that killed an Israeli soldier. 

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Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Palestinian official also told the news agency AFP that the strike on a flat in a residential area of Sidon killed the official and his adult son and daughter. 

The Lebanese state media had reported the 3:45 am (0045 GMT) strike on Sidon, saying at least three people were killed. "A hostile drone raided a residential apartment... causing two successive explosions that led to a fire and extensive damage," the state-run National News Agency reported. Emergency workers rushed to the scene where they recovered "the bodies of three martyrs," NNA said.

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Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the strike as a "flagrant attack on Lebanese sovereignty" and a breach of the November 27 ceasefire with Israel. 

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Israel expands operation 

In a statement, the IDF said, "Over the past few hours, IDF troops have begun conducting ground activity in the area of Shejaiya in northern Gaza, in order to expand the security zone." 

Defence Minister Israel Katz had said on Wednesday that Israel would bolster its military presence inside the Gaza Strip to "destroy and clear the area of terrorists and terrorist infrastructure". The operation would "seize large areas that will be incorporated into Israeli security zones", he said, without specifying how much territory. 

IDF said that during and prior to the military activity, IDF troops allowed the evacuation of civilians from the combat zone through organised routes for their safety.

"The IDF and ISA will continue to operate against terrorist organizations in Gaza to protect the citizens of the State of Israel," IDF said.  

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Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.