India, Feb. 17 -- The Israeli military said it killed a commander from the Palestinian militant group Hamas in an airstrike in southern Lebanon's Sindon on the eve of a deadline in a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

"Mohammed Shahine was eliminated after recently planning terror attacks, directed and funded by Iran, from Lebanese territory against the citizens of the state of Israel," the military said in a statement.

"Shahine was a significant source of knowledge within the terrorist organisation and was responsible throughout the war for various terror attacks and rocket launchers aimed at Israeli civilians," it added.

The strike occurred near an army checkpoint and Sidon's municipal sports stadium, news agency AP repo...