Windsor Man Killed in Lebanon Airstrike While Attempting Rescue, Family Mourns
A Windsor man described by his family as hardworking and kind was senselessly killed last week in Lebanon while attempting to save another life during a drone strike. Hassan Haidar, 38, a married father of five who had been living in southern Lebanon, died after being shot in the head when he went outside to assist a man who worked on his farm.
A Heroic Final Act
According to his brother Mohamed Hussain Haidar, who spoke at a vigil outside Windsor City Hall on Monday, Hassan was on the phone with his wife when he heard cries for help from the farm worker who had been shot by a drone. "He risked his life to care for his animals that he loved and not leave them behind because he had no means of moving them to a safe place," said his sister Fatima Haider.
Hassan had been in Lebanon since November, having moved his wife and children to a safer location within the country while staying behind to tend to his horses. "He loved his horses," Fatima added. "He had a dream of having the biggest horse farm in Lebanon."
Canadian Casualty in Middle East Conflict
Haidar is now a confirmed Canadian casualty in the ongoing Middle East war that has claimed more than 2,000 Lebanese lives. The National Council of Canadian Muslims has blamed Israeli forces for the strike that killed Haidar, stating in a social media post that "he is now among over 1,500 people killed by Israeli forces in the illegal bombing and invasion of Lebanon."
The council called for Canada to "back up its condemnations of these attacks with specific actions." Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East conflict on March 2 when Tehran-backed militant group Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel to avenge the killing of an Iranian leader, with Israel responding with broad strikes across Lebanon and a ground offensive.
Government Response and Family Grief
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand issued a statement on Monday confirming she had been made aware of the death of a Canadian citizen in southern Lebanon and extended condolences to his family. "Global Affairs Canada officials are in touch with his family to offer consular assistance as needed," she wrote on social media platform X.
Anand added that "Canada firmly supports the Lebanese government's efforts to restore and exercise full state authority, including through the disarmament of Hezbollah" and called on Israel to "cease its attacks and encourage Israel and Lebanon to reach a durable, diplomatic solution to end the conflict."
A Life of Ambition and Devotion
Haidar, one of seven siblings, moved to Canada with his family in his late teens. He studied automotive technology at St. Clair College and later became a licensed mechanic. After opening his own shop, he began working toward a mechanical engineering degree at the University of Windsor.
"He was an extremely devoted man," said his brother Mohamad. "All he was doing is working super hard for a portion of that year." Haidar spent the other part of each year with his wife and children in Lebanon, balancing his Canadian career with his family life and agricultural dreams in his homeland.
His sister Fatema expressed the family's profound grief: "But of course, no one is safe with Israel ... and now we lost our brother. I do not wish this pain for anybody. Not a single family should ever have to endure this kind of pain."
