Israel said it killed at least 11 senior Hezbollah commanders, including Ibrahim Aqil, the leader of the group’s elite Radwan unit, in an airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs Friday.
The strike is the latest in a series of operations targeting top figures in the year-long conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah.
Here’s a look at some recent operations blamed on Israel targeting leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas.
Hezbollah
Ibrahim Aqil: Aqil, also known as “Tahsin” and “Abdelqader”, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sept. 20. The US has linked him to the deadly 1983 bombings that struck US targets in Lebanon.
Fuad Shukr: Hezbollah’s top military commander Fuad Shukr was killed in an Israeli airstrike on July 30 in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Shukr was a key figure in Hezbollah since its creation over four decades ago and was considered the right-hand man of the group’s leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. The US had sanctioned Shukr in 2015 for his role in the 1983 Marine barracks bombing.
Mohammed Nasser: Killed in an Israeli airstrike on July 3, Nasser headed a Hezbollah unit responsible for attacks along the southwestern Lebanon-Israel border. Israel claimed responsibility for his death, saying he led operations along the frontier.
Taleb Abdallah: Abdallah, a senior Hezbollah field commander, died in an Israeli strike on June 12 that targeted a command center in southern Lebanon. His death led to a barrage of rocket fire from Hezbollah into Israel. Abdallah was a top commander along the central southern border.
Hamas
Mohammed Deif: Israel announced it killed Mohammed Deif, a senior Hamas military leader, in a strike on Khan Younis in Gaza on July 13. Deif, who had survived multiple assassination attempts by Israel, was believed to be one of the masterminds behind the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel, though Hamas has not confirmed his death.
Impact Shorts
View AllIsmail Haniyeh: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed by a missile strike in Iran on July 31, the militant group said. He was staying in a state guesthouse when the attack occurred. Israel has not taken responsibility for the strike.
Saleh al-Arouri: An Israeli drone strike on Jan. 2, 2024, killed Saleh al-Arouri, Hamas’ deputy chief, in the Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh. Arouri was also the founder of the Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing.
With inputs from Reuters