The Quiet Commander: Esmail Qaani's Role Amid Middle East Tensions

Esmail Qaani, the commander of Iran’s Quds Force, has remained out of the public eye since an Israeli airstrike in Beirut. Appointed after Qassem Soleimani's assassination, Qaani faces the challenge of managing Iran's paramilitary allies, although he has not commanded the same respect or influence as his predecessor.

Esmail Qaani, the commander of Iran's Quds Force, has not been heard from since Israeli airstrikes hit Beirut last week, according to senior Iranian officials.

Qaani, appointed after the 2020 assassination of Qassem Soleimani, was in Lebanon following the killing of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike.

Despite not matching Soleimani's stature, Qaani remains central to managing Tehran's Middle Eastern paramilitary allies amid ongoing regional tensions.

(With inputs from agencies.)