Israeli attack kills al-Jamaa al-Islamiya leader in Lebanon

An Israeli drone attack on a senior member of al-Jamaa al-Islamiya, a Lebanese political party, resulted in his death near Beirut. This was one of two deadly strikes carried out by Israel on Tuesday, violating the ceasefire agreement reached in November with Hezbollah, Lebanon’s armed group. The attack raised concerns of escalating hostilities between the two sides. The victim, Hussein Atoui, was described as an academic leader and university professor by al-Jamaa al-Islamiya, which is allied with Hezbollah and Hamas. Another Israeli strike in the southern Tyre district also claimed a life. Israel and Lebanon have been at odds over disarmament efforts, with the US urging Beirut to speed up the process. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun aims to complete the disarmament by 2025, emphasizing the sensitive nature of the issue.