Hezbollah’s Top Commander Killed in Israeli Airstrike

Israel has intensified its offensive against Hezbollah, a pro-Iranian armed group in Lebanon, with a series of airstrikes and targeted killings. On September 20, Israeli forces killed Ibrahim Aqil, one of Hezbollah’s top military commanders, in a targeted airstrike.

Hezbollah has retaliated with rocket attacks on Israel, firing at least 115 rockets on September 22, some of which fell in Haifa, Israel’s northern stronghold and third-largest city. The escalating violence has raised concerns that the conflict could escalate into an all-out war.

Hezbollah’s Top Commander, Aqil, Was Killed

Aqil, who was in his 60s, was a key figure in Hezbollah’s military operations and was known for his involvement in the 1983 bombings of the US Embassy and Marine Corps barracks, which killed around 300 people. He was designated a ‘special terrorist’ by the United States in 2019, and a reward of up to $7 million was offered for information related to his activities.

The Israeli military claims to have removed all but three key commanders from Hezbollah’s chain of command, including its supreme leader, Hassan Nasrallah. The British Financial Times assessed that Aqil’s death was “the biggest blow that Hezbollah has received since its formation.”

Hezbollah May Risk Life and Death in an All-Out War

Hezbollah’s rocket attacks on Israel have been met with airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. The Israeli army has described the rocket attacks as “an attack targeting a civilian area” and has vowed to continue hitting Hezbollah targets.

The New York Times has expressed concern that “Israel’s attempt to subdue Hezbollah could force Hezbollah to risk its life and death and enter a ground war.” Lina Khatib, a senior researcher at Chatham House in the UK, has analyzed that “18 years of joint restraint (since the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war) is now ushering in a new era of Israeli dominance.”