Israeli warplanes conducted a heavy airstrike on the Ras Al-Nabaa-Sodeco area in Beirut without prior warning, killing Hezbollah's media relations chief Mohammad Afif as confirmed by two Lebanese security sources cited by Reuters. 

The strike targeted a building belonging to the Syrian Arab Baath Party, a political organization aligned with the Syrian regime.

The party's central command confirmed that the airstrike hit its headquarters in Ras Al-Nabaa, assuring that the party’s Secretary-General, Ali Hijazi, was not present in the building at the time of the strike.

The security sources said it struck a building where the offices of the Baath Party are located, and the head of the party in Lebanon, Ali Hijazi, told Lebanese broadcaster Al-Jadeed that Afif was in the building.

Three people were killed alongside Afif, sources told Al-Hadath news channel. 

Who was Mohammad Afif? 

Mohammad Afif has served as the head of Hezbollah's media relations since 2014.

He is considered one of the founding members of Hezbollah and known to have been a close friend of the group's former Secretary-General Abbas al-Moussawi, who was assassinated by Israel in 1992. 

Afif also managed news and political programs at the Hezbollah-affiliated Al Manar TV channel and, in his role as media advisor, oversaw a range of media relations activities.

Within Hezbollah, Afif held various positions and remained active in the party’s political affairs.

الغارة على مكتب حزب البعث في راس النبع pic.twitter.com/gWXYHoN71C

— kataeb.org (@kataeb_Ar) November 17, 2024

فيديو يوثق الدمار جراء الغارة على مركز حزب البعث pic.twitter.com/cSjp1Vzfbf

— kataeb.org (@kataeb_Ar) November 17, 2024