The group said in a statement that Hassan al-Laqqis waskilled at around midnight in the southern Hadath district of theLebanese capital. It gave no detail of the operation but said"the accusation is directed at the enemy, Israel."
Hezbollah described Laqqis as "one of the leaders of theIslamic resistance" against Israel and said the Jewish state hadtried to kill him several times in the past.
Hezbollah, which fought a 34-day war with Israel in 2006,has also sent fighters into neighbouring Syria to supportPresident Bashar Assad's battle against mainly Sunni Muslimrebels trying to overthrow him.