IDF kills Daoud Ali Zada: Top Quds Force commander, Hezbollah liaison eliminated in Lebanon

Jerusalem: The Israel Defence Forces announced onTuesday that an airstrike had killed Daoud Ali Zada, a high-ranking Iranian commander who served as a primary bridge between the Quds Force and Hezbollah.

The Israeli Air Force carried out the operation based on precise intelligence provided by Military Intelligence. Zada served as the deputy to Hassan Mahdawi, the former commander of the Quds Force Lebanon Corps, who was also killed in a previous Israeli strike.

Zada, who held a rank equivalent to brigadier general, was described by the IDF as the highest-ranking Iranian military official currently overseeing operations within Lebanon.

According to military officials, the Lebanon Corps functions as a vital liaison between the Iranian government and Hezbollah. The body is responsible for supporting the militant group’s military buildup and force development, acting as the primary point of contact between senior Quds Force leadership and Hezbollah’s high command.

Zada’s previous experience included commanding the Quds Force’s strategic mid-range combat means corps. In that capacity, he managed the distribution of mid-range weaponry to Hezbollah and other regional proxies. The IDF characterised him as a critical source of expertise regarding the fire capabilities of Hezbollah and other allied groups.

The military stated that Zada was a key figure in inciting Hezbollah to advance terrorist operations against the State of Israel.

"Israel will not allow the entrenchment of Iranian terror elements in Lebanese territory, which harm the rehabilitation of the Lebanese state and strengthens Hezbollah," the IDF said in a statement accompanying the announcement.

The elimination of Zada comes amid a broader regional escalation following the deaths of several high-ranking Iranian officials over the past week.

With inputs from ANI