Prominent Hezbollah official Ibrahim Aqil was killed in a targeted strike in the Jamous area south of Beirut on Friday, as confirmed by both Hezbollah and the Israeli military. Aqil was a member of the group’s military council and led Hezbollah’s Operations Unit for two decades.
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, an IDF spokesman, stated, “Ibrahim Aqil had the blood of many innocent people on his hands — Israelis, Americans, French, Lebanese and more.” He added that Aqil and other members killed in the strike were in the process of planning additional attacks on Israel.
Who was Ibrahim Aqil
Aqil had assumed leadership following the death of Fuad Shukr, another senior Hezbollah commander killed in an Israeli strike in the same area over a month ago. Amal Saad, a lecturer at Cardiff University, noted, “It’s a huge blow for sure,” but cautioned that Hezbollah is structured to quickly replace even its top commanders. She expressed skepticism that the killing would significantly impact the group’s operations.
The U.S. government had designated Aqil as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist.” According to the State Department, he was a “principal member” of Hezbollah's Islamic Jihad Organization, implicated in the 1983 bombings of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut and the U.S. Marine Corps barracks, resulting in significant casualties. He also directed the abduction of American and German hostages during the 1980s.
The Nature of the Strike
At the time of the strike, Aqil and other commanders were reportedly hiding underground beneath a residential building in the Dahiyah neighborhood, using civilians as human shields. Hagari claimed, “They were in the middle of planning more terror attacks against Israeli civilians.” He alleged that Aqil and his fellow commanders were plotting a Hezbollah invasion of northern Israel, paralleling the recent actions of Hamas.
Aqil, also known as Hajj Abdul Qader, was second-in-command of Hezbollah’s military operations after Shukr. He led the Radwan Force, which specializes in high-risk missions, including cross-border infiltration into Israeli territory. This force has gained experience in conflicts beyond Lebanon, particularly in Syria. The U.S. Treasury noted Aqil's significant role in Hezbollah’s military campaign in Syria, and he was further designated as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” in 2019.
The recent airstrike resulted in the deaths of seven people and injured 59 others, causing substantial damage to Hezbollah. This incident occurred shortly after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had threatened retaliation against Israel. While Hezbollah has not officially confirmed Aqil's death, they have claimed that the strike targeted an Israeli intelligence base and was responsible for unexplained "assassinations."
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, an IDF spokesman, stated, “Ibrahim Aqil had the blood of many innocent people on his hands — Israelis, Americans, French, Lebanese and more.” He added that Aqil and other members killed in the strike were in the process of planning additional attacks on Israel.
Who was Ibrahim Aqil
Aqil had assumed leadership following the death of Fuad Shukr, another senior Hezbollah commander killed in an Israeli strike in the same area over a month ago. Amal Saad, a lecturer at Cardiff University, noted, “It’s a huge blow for sure,” but cautioned that Hezbollah is structured to quickly replace even its top commanders. She expressed skepticism that the killing would significantly impact the group’s operations.
The U.S. government had designated Aqil as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist.” According to the State Department, he was a “principal member” of Hezbollah's Islamic Jihad Organization, implicated in the 1983 bombings of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut and the U.S. Marine Corps barracks, resulting in significant casualties. He also directed the abduction of American and German hostages during the 1980s.
The Nature of the Strike
At the time of the strike, Aqil and other commanders were reportedly hiding underground beneath a residential building in the Dahiyah neighborhood, using civilians as human shields. Hagari claimed, “They were in the middle of planning more terror attacks against Israeli civilians.” He alleged that Aqil and his fellow commanders were plotting a Hezbollah invasion of northern Israel, paralleling the recent actions of Hamas.
Aqil, also known as Hajj Abdul Qader, was second-in-command of Hezbollah’s military operations after Shukr. He led the Radwan Force, which specializes in high-risk missions, including cross-border infiltration into Israeli territory. This force has gained experience in conflicts beyond Lebanon, particularly in Syria. The U.S. Treasury noted Aqil's significant role in Hezbollah’s military campaign in Syria, and he was further designated as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” in 2019.
The recent airstrike resulted in the deaths of seven people and injured 59 others, causing substantial damage to Hezbollah. This incident occurred shortly after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had threatened retaliation against Israel. While Hezbollah has not officially confirmed Aqil's death, they have claimed that the strike targeted an Israeli intelligence base and was responsible for unexplained "assassinations."
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