Israel says it killed top Hezbollah commanders in Beirut strike
Israeli officials said Friday they eliminated top Hezbollah commanders in a targeted strike in Beirut, including an officer involved in planning multiple attacks against Israel.
The Israeli air force killed Ibrahim Aqil, the head of Hezbollah's operations unit and the commander of the elite special forces unit the Radwan Force, according to a release from the Israeli military.
The military said other senior Radwan commanders were killed in the Lebanon attack, including those involved in planning what officials claimed was an imminent operation to infiltrate Israel and kill civilians.
Israeli military spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in a press briefing that Aqil and the other Radwan commanders were gathered underground "beneath a residential building in the heart of the Dahieh neighborhood, using civilians as human shields."
"They had gathered to coordinate terrorist activities against the citizens of Israel," he said.
Aqil had headed Hezbollah's operations unit since 2004 but served with the Lebanese militant group since the '80s, according to the Israeli military. He was responsible for planning several deadly attacks on Israel.
The U.S. has a $7 million bounty on his head because he was a principle member of a Hezbollah cell that was behind a bombing that killed 63 at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut in April 1983 and another bombing at the U.S. Marine barracks in October 1983 that killed 241 American personnel.
Hagari said Friday that Aqil "had large amounts of blood on his hands" and "was responsible for the deaths of many innocent civilians."
Israeli forces carried out the Friday attack in Beirut shortly after Hezbollah fired some 140 rockets toward Israel, most of which the Israeli military said were shot down.
The Israeli strikes on Beirut have killed at least 12 people and wounded some 60 others, according to the state-run National News Agency in Lebanon.
Israel has stepped up its attacks on Hezbollah this week, killing at least 37 people and wounding thousands of others in Lebanon after detonating pagers and handheld radios in two separate incidents.
A Thursday strike also targeted Lebanon while Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was speaking about the pager and radio attacks.
The escalation this week is sparking fears that Israel is preparing for a larger fight against Hezbollah now that much of its Gaza operations against Palestinian militant group Hamas have wound down in recent months.
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said the U.S. does not want a "second front in this war opened up."
"We don't want to see escalation," he said. "Everything we're doing is going to be involved in trying to amend that outcome."
Israel is concerned about the displacement of some 80,000 residents who have fled the 11-month fighting in the north with Hezbollah, which has fired rockets almost daily in an operation tied to the ongoing war in Gaza.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said in a post on Friday after the strikes were announced that Israel has entered a "new phase" with Hezbollah that will ensure the return of the displaced residents.
"We will continue to pursue our enemy in order to protect our citizens," he wrote on the social platform X.
Date: | |
Tag: | Israel |
Topics
-
The Wall Street Journal - World
Israel Says It Killed Top Hezbollah Commander in Beirut Strike
The attack represents another security failure for the militant group that has been reeling from repeated Israeli blows.2 hours ago - Israel -
BBC News - Top stories
Top Hezbollah commander killed in Israeli strike on Beirut
The strike in Lebanon's capital, which killed at least 14 people, adds to fears of an all-out war.31 minutes ago - Israel -
NBC News - Top stories
Israel says it killed a top Hezbollah official in 'targeted' Beirut strike
Israel says it killed a top Hezbollah official in a “targeted strike” on the Lebanese capital of Beirut on Friday after Hezbollah unleashed an intense barrage of fire across the border following a ...28 minutes ago - Israel -
Financial Times - Business
Israel kills elite Hizbollah commanders in Beirut strike, IDF says
Air strike on Ibrahim Aqil and Radwan Force follows a wave of deadly blasts in Lebanon12 minutes ago - Israel -
ABC News - Top stories
Key Hezbollah leader, commanders killed in strike on Lebanon, Israel says
As tensions remained high Friday between Hezbollah and Israel, international leaders called for both sides to seek paths to de-escalate the conflict.5 hours ago - Israel -
The Guardian - World
UN pleads against further violence after Israeli strike kills top Hezbollah leader
IDF airstrike on Beirut that killed at least 14 causes fears of escalation into even more devastating conflict. Further violence between Israel and Iran’s allies Hezbollah and Hamas could ignite a ...45 minutes ago - Israel
More from The Hill
-
The Hill - Politics
GOP scrambles to contain Robinson fallout in North Carolina
Republicans are scrambling to mitigate the fallout from North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson’s latest scandal, fearful it could cost them more than just the governor’s mansion as ...22 minutes ago -
The Hill - Politics
Evening Report — NC becoming 2024 wildcard
Presented by the National Council on Aging — Drama in the North Carolina's governor's race is injecting uncertainty into the race for president {beacon} Evening Report © AP North Carolina ...29 minutes ago -
The Hill - Politics
Microsoft's Three Mile Island deal
Presented by TerraPower — The Pennsylvania plant is the site of a 1979 partial nuclear meltdown {beacon} Energy & Environment Energy & Environment The Big Story Microsoft strikes deal to reopen ...37 minutes ago - Microsoft -
The Hill - Politics
Harris invokes Georgia woman's death in Atlanta speech on abortion rights
Vice President Harris spoke forcefully Friday about the pain experienced by women in states with abortion bans, placing the blame for their suffering squarely on Republicans and former President ...39 minutes ago - Abortion -
The Hill - Politics
Prosecutors drop weapons charge against Victoria Spartz
Local prosecutors dropped a weapons charge against Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) for bringing a firearm to Dulles International Airport over the summer, court records show. Spartz was scheduled to ...56 minutes ago