21-9-2024 (BEIRUT) Israeli fighter jets launched a precision airstrike in a southern Beirut neighbourhood on Friday, resulting in at least three fatalities and 17 injuries. Israeli officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, have revealed to Axios that the operation targeted high-ranking Hezbollah military commanders, including Ibrahim Aqil, the militia’s head of operations.
This brazen strike deep within Lebanese territory marks a dramatic intensification of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, pushing the region closer to the brink of all-out war. Al-Arabiya news has reported Aqil’s death, though Hezbollah has yet to confirm this claim.
The assassination attempt comes on the heels of a series of remote detonations targeting pagers and walkie-talkies earlier this week, which resulted in nearly 40 deaths and over 3,000 injuries. Hezbollah acknowledged that many members of its military units and institutions were among the casualties of these attacks.
A senior Israeli official disclosed that the United States was not given prior notice of the Beirut operation but was briefed immediately after its execution. This revelation was corroborated by White House spokesperson John Kirby, who stated he was unaware of any advance warning.
Ibrahim Aqil, the primary target of the strike, is a founding member of Hezbollah’s military wing and a key figure in its operational command structure. He is wanted by the United States for his alleged involvement in the 1983 bombings of the U.S. Embassy and Marine Corps barracks in Beirut, which collectively claimed over 300 American lives.
An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the assassination as “a huge blow” to Hezbollah’s military command and control structure. Another Israeli source revealed that Aqil had recently assumed the role of Hezbollah’s top military commander following the death of Fuad Shukr in an Israeli operation in July.
The same official indicated that Israel had concluded that a diplomatic resolution to the northern border situation was unattainable without military escalation. “This is why we have been gradually taking our gloves off and increasing our attacks against Hezbollah,” the official stated.
Despite the escalating tensions, the U.S. administration maintains that a diplomatic solution is still viable. John Kirby emphasised that war between Israel and Lebanon is not inevitable, stating, “We are trying to prevent it.”
