Hezbollah Commander Ibrahim Aqil Killed in Israeli Strike

Hezbollah operations commander Ibrahim Aqil, a key figure with a $7 million bounty on his head, was killed in an Israeli airstrike. Known for his role in the 1983 Beirut bombings, Aqil was the second high-ranking member of Hezbollah's Jihad Council to be killed in two months amid escalating tensions.

Hezbollah operations commander Ibrahim Aqil, who had a $7 million bounty on his head, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs on Friday. Aqil, linked to the 1983 Beirut truck bombings that claimed over 300 lives, was targeted during a meeting of Hezbollah's elite Radwan unit, confirmed Lebanese security sources.

Aqil, also known by the aliases Tahsin and Abdelqader, was the second top Hezbollah military figure to be killed in two months after an Israeli strike targeted Fuad Shukr in July. This escalation in Israeli attacks follows months of border skirmishes triggered by the conflict in Gaza that began on October 7th, involving Hezbollah's ally, Hamas.

Born around 1960 in Lebanon's Beqaa valley, Aqil was originally part of the Amal movement before becoming a founding member of Hezbollah in the early 1980s. The United States has accused him of orchestrating the 1983 Beirut bombings at the American embassy and a U.S. Marine barracks, as well as directing hostage abductions. Aqil's death is considered a significant loss to Hezbollah, following the earlier killing of Imad Mughniyeh in 2008.

(With inputs from agencies.)