BEIRUT: Six Hezbollah fighters were killed Sunday in an Israeli air strike on the Syrian side of the Golan, including the son of assassinated senior commander Imad Mughniyeh.
The deaths were announced after an Israeli security source told AFP that an Israeli helicopter conducted a strike against “terrorists” near Quneitra, on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights.
“A group of Hezbollah mujahedeen were martyred in a Zionist rocket attack in Quneitra, and their names will be revealed later,” said Hezbollah´s Al-Manar television.
They were killed during a field reconnaissance mission in the Mazraat Amal village of Quneitra province, it said.
Hezbollah said in a statement received by AFP that six of its members were killed in the attack, among them a top military leader and Jihad Mughniyeh, the son of Imad Mughniyeh, a top Hezbollah operative killed in a 2008 car bombing in Syria which the group has blamed on Israel.
A source close to Hezbollah told AFP the killed military leader was Mohammed Issa, a senior commander responsible for Hezbollah operations in Syria and Iraq.
The Israeli source did not identify the targets but alleged they were preparing for an attack on Israel, without providing more details.
Syrian state television confirmed the Israeli air strike and said six people were killed in the raid but made no mention of Hezbollah.