A senior Hezbollah military commander, Ibrahim Aqil, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon on Friday, September 20th. The strike, which targeted the group’s stronghold in south Beirut, was confirmed by a source close to Hezbollah, according to the AFP. Aqil, the leader of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan unit, was a prominent figure within the group’s military structure. The Radwan unit, known for its offensive operations, including incursions into Israel, has been active along the Lebanon-Israel border since October 7th, according to The Washington Post.
Aqil, also known as “Tahsin,” was a designated Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the US government. The US Department of State offered a reward of up to $7 million for information leading to his capture. He served on Hezbollah’s highest military body, the Jihad Council, and played a key role in the group’s activities since the 1980s. Aqil’s involvement with the Islamic Jihad Organisation, Hezbollah’s notorious terrorist arm, linked him to two of the deadliest attacks on US personnel in Lebanon. He was implicated in the bombing of the US Embassy in Beirut in April 1983, which claimed the lives of 63 people, and the US Marine barracks bombing in October 1983, which resulted in the deaths of 241 US military personnel. Additionally, Aqil was involved in the kidnapping of American and German hostages in Lebanon during the same period, an operation he personally oversaw. In 2015, the US Department of the Treasury designated Aqil under Executive Order 13582 for his role within Hezbollah.
The strike resulted in three fatalities and 17 injuries, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. Israel acknowledged the attack, describing it as a “targeted strike” aimed at a Hezbollah stronghold in southern Beirut. While Hezbollah has not officially commented on Aqil’s death, the incident comes amidst a series of pager attacks and walkie-talkie blasts across Lebanon widely attributed to Israel.
Israel has conducted numerous airstrikes in Lebanon in recent years, primarily targeting Hezbollah infrastructure. The strike that killed Aqil highlights the ongoing tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, with the latter remaining a significant security threat in the region.
