Hezbollah members carry the coffin of Lakkis during his funeral procession in Baalbek. (The Daily Star/Mohammad Azakir)

December 05, 2013 01:08 AM
By Rakan al-Fakih, Thomas El-Basha
The Daily Star

In yet another blow to Hezbollah this year, a senior party commander was assassinated south of Beirut overnight Wednesday, signaling ongoing warfare between the secretive Lebanese group and its archfoe Israel.

Hezbollah officials have been targets of assassinations in the past.

Hezbollah held Israel responsible for Mughniyeh’s killing.

Lakkis, according to the source close to Hezbollah, had also survived numerous attempts on his life in the past, including during the July-August 2006 War between Lebanon and Israel.

It said Lakkis’ son was killed during the August-July 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.

Syria and Iran, Hezbollah’s main allies, condemned the assassination, holding Israel responsible for the operation.

The Syrian government said in a statement that Israel was fully responsible for the assassination of the top Hezbollah commander.

In a statement, President Michel Sleiman condemned the assassination of Lakkis and said the killing aims at stirring strife in Lebanon.

Read more: http://dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2013/Dec-05/239976-killing-of-hezbollah-operative-bears-israeli-fingerprints.ashx#ixzz2maANCytz
(The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb)