A significant escalation in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah occurred on Friday when a top Hezbollah military commander, Ibrahim Aqil, was killed in an Israeli air strike on the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
This development has heightened fears of an all-out war in the region.
Hezbollah confirmed Aqil’s death after Israel announced that he was among several senior Hezbollah figures killed in the strike.
Lebanese officials reported that at least 14 people were killed and dozens injured in the attack, which targeted the densely populated Dahieh area, a stronghold of the Iran-backed group in the city’s southern suburbs.
“We confirm the martyrdom of the great jihadist leader, Ibrahim Aqil,” Hezbollah said in a statement.
A senior UN official, Rosemary DiCarlo, warned that the Middle East is at risk of a conflict that could “dwarf” the devastation witnessed in the region so far.
DiCarlo, the UN political affairs chief, made this statement at a Security Council session following this week’s attacks, which saw Hezbollah’s pagers and walkie-talkies explode, killing at least 37 people.
“I strongly urge member states with influence over the parties to leverage it now,” DiCarlo added.
In Beirut, chaotic scenes unfolded as emergency teams rushed to the site of the attack, rescuing the wounded and searching for people believed to be trapped under the rubble.
At least one residential building collapsed, and others were heavily damaged.
“Hezbollah members closed streets, with some appearing incredulous at the attack, which represented another blow to the group this week,” an eyewitness reported.
Earlier this week, pager and walkie-talkie explosions across Lebanon killed dozens and wounded thousands.
These attacks are widely believed to have been orchestrated by Israel.
Friday’s strike was the first to hit Beirut since July, when Hezbollah’s military chief, Fuad Shukr, was killed.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Daniel Hagari stated that Aqil, a senior commander in Hezbollah’s elite Radwan forces, was killed alongside senior operatives in the group’s operations staff and other Radwan commanders.
“They were gathered underground under a residential building in the heart of the Dahiyah neighborhood [in southern Beirut], hiding among Lebanese civilians, using them as human shields,” Hagari claimed.
According to Hagari, the individuals killed were “planning Hezbollah’s ‘Conquer the Galilee’ attack plan, in which Hezbollah intended to infiltrate Israeli communities and murder innocent civilians.” This plan was first reported by the Israeli military in 2018.
“The IDF will continue to act decisively against Hezbollah’s terrorist activities,” Hagari added.
The US had been searching for Aqil, also known as Tahsin, and offered financial rewards for information leading to his identification, location, arrest, and/or conviction.
Aqil was wanted due to his links and seniority within Hezbollah, a group proscribed as a terrorist organization by Israel, the UK, US, and other countries.
In the 1980s, Aqil was a member of the group that orchestrated the bombings of the US embassy in Beirut and a marine barracks, killing hundreds of people.
Confirming Aqil’s death, Hezbollah described him as one of its “great jihadist leaders.”
“He was a symbol of resistance and a great leader,” Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised address.
Hezbollah was established in the early 1980s by Iran to oppose Israel, which had occupied southern Lebanon during the country’s civil war.
Earlier on Friday, Hezbollah said it had launched strikes on military sites in northern Israel. The IDF reported that 140 rockets were fired into the north of the country.
“We will not allow Hezbollah to continue its provocation,” Israel’s UN envoy, Danny Danon, said.
Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habbib accused Israel of “deliberately undermining” diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza and “all attempts of the Lebanese government to de-escalate and exercise self-restraint.”
The cross-border fighting between Israel and Hezbollah escalated on October 8, 2023, after Hezbollah fired at Israeli positions in solidarity with Palestinians. Since then, hundreds of people, mostly Hezbollah fighters, have been killed, and tens of thousands have been displaced on both sides of the border.
Israel recently added the return of displaced people from the north of the country to its list of war goals. Defence Minister Yoav Gallant stated that Israel is entering a “new phase of the war,” concentrating more efforts on the north.
The US and UK have advised their citizens not to travel to Lebanon, and the White House is involved in intense diplomacy to prevent escalation of the conflict along the Israel-Lebanon border.
“We urge all parties to exercise restraint and avoid further escalation,” a White House spokesperson said.
The situation remains tense, with fears of further escalation and potential regional consequences.
