Hezbollah confirmed the death of Ibrahim Aqil, commander of its elite Radwan Force, following an Israeli airstrike in southern Beirut on Friday. Aqil, a key figure within the group’s military operations, was killed alongside 13 others, including 10 senior commanders, in a precision attack that left significant damage in the area.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the strike targeted a meeting of high-ranking Hezbollah officials planning further operations against Israel, including an invasion of northern territories as part of Hezbollah’s “Conquer the Galilee” strategy. Aqil’s death marks a major blow to Hezbollah, which has been involved in near-daily skirmishes with Israel since the Gaza conflict began on October 7.
Aqil was also implicated in the 1983 bombings of the US Embassy and Marine barracks in Beirut, and the United States had placed a $7 million bounty on his capture. His death follows the killing of another senior Hezbollah figure, Fuad Shukr, in a similar Israeli airstrike weeks earlier.
In response to the attack, Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel, while the United Nations and regional actors expressed concern over the escalating violence. Iran condemned the strike, accusing Israel of expanding the conflict’s scope, as tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border continue to rise.Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported 14 deaths and 66 injuries, with search efforts ongoing.