Hezbollah Confirms Top Military Commander Killed in Israeli Airstrike
In a devastating blow to Hezbollah, the group confirmed late Friday that its top military commander, Ibrahim Aqil, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburb. Aqil was mourned by Hezbollah as one of its “top leaders.”
The deadly airstrike resulted in at least 14 fatalities and left 66 others injured, with nine individuals in critical condition, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. The attack targeted an apartment in a residential building in the Jamous area, as reported by the official Lebanese National News Agency.
The Israeli army also confirmed the assassination of Aqil, along with other senior commanders from Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force. This marks the third attack by Israel on the southern suburb amid a wave of hostilities that began nearly a year ago.
Previous significant attacks include the assassinations of Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri on January 2 and Hezbollah leader Fouad Shukr on July 30.
The airstrike comes amidst a new wave of Israeli escalation in Lebanon, with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declaring that the conflict with Hezbollah has entered “a new phase.” This escalation follows increased tensions along the border, particularly after Israel’s military actions in the Gaza Strip, where over 41,300 people, mainly women and children, have lost their lives since Hamas’s cross-border attack in early October. — Agencies
