In a significant blow to Hezbollah, Israel eliminated Ibrahim Aqil, a senior commander responsible for multiple terrorist attacks, including the 1983 bombing of a U.S. Marines barracks in Beirut. Aqil was killed in an airstrike conducted by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Friday, targeting an underground hideout in southern Beirut.
Aqil, 61, led Hezbollah’s Operations Unit and commanded the group’s elite Radwan Forces, which had been planning a major attack on northern Israel. According to Israeli officials, the strike also eliminated other high-ranking Hezbollah operatives who were coordinating efforts to infiltrate Israeli communities.
The 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marines barracks killed 241 American personnel and was one of the deadliest attacks against U.S. forces abroad. Aqil had been involved in the attack as part of Hezbollah’s “Islamic Jihad Organization,” and the U.S. government had offered a $7 million reward for information leading to his capture or death.
IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari revealed that the strike targeted a location beneath a residential building where Hezbollah commanders were using civilians as human shields. Hagari reassured Israelis that the IDF remains vigilant, actively working to dismantle terrorist networks.
This marks another significant victory for Israel in its ongoing efforts to neutralize Hezbollah’s leadership, following the killing of Fuad Shukr, Hezbollah’s second-in-command, in July.
