Israeli Drone Strike Kills Physics Teacher, Wounds Schoolchildren in Lebanon

Teacher described as a 35-year-old reservist in Hezbollah

Israel carried out a drone strike in Nabatieh today, some 6 miles from the Israeli border in southern Lebanon. The strike targeted and killed a 35-year-old physics teacher named Mohammad Ali Farran, who was also a reservist in Hezbollah.

Farran was the target, but a school bus was passing by at the time of the attack, and the shattered glass in the bus wounded at least three schoolchildren, according to reports. The children were taken to a hospital.

In keeping with posthumously promoting Hezbollah members, an Israeli military statement identified Farran not only as a Hezbollah “military commander,” but claimed he was responsible for weapons production for the organization.

Hezbollah confirmed Farran was killed in a strike on his vehicle, and confirmed he was killed in Nabatieh, where he was from. No further details of the strike were given, however.

The Lebanese national news reported Farran was killed in Israeli aggression while on the Kfar Dajjal-Nabatieh road. His vehicle reportedly caught fire after it was struck.

Since Israeli strikes on Lebanon begin in October, at least 425 people have been killed, including at least 82 civilians. Most strikes take place in southern Lebanon, near the Israeli border, but recently a number a strikes have also taken place in the northeast, near the Syrian border.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.