Israeli Airstrike Targets Hezbollah’s Elite Paramilitary Unit in Beirut

The Israeli army announced that it had “eliminated” the head of Hezbollah’s elite paramilitary unit, Ibrahim Aqil, and other senior members of the Lebanese Islamist movement in an airstrike on Beirut.

The Israeli Air Force carried out a targeted strike on Beirut, eliminating Ibrahim Aqil, the head of Hezbollah’s operations unit, the commander of Radwan’s unit, according to a military spokesman.

Eight people were killed and 59 injured in the Israeli raid on the southern suburbs of Beirut, the Ministry of Health announced, with a source close to Hezbollah reporting the death of a senior member of the pro-Iranian movement.

Hezbollah claims to have targeted the Israeli intelligence base it accuses of being behind the “accusations” with salvos of Katyusha rockets, in response to the Israeli air raid that killed an important leader of the pro-formation.

In a statement, Hezbollah said its fighters targeted “the main intelligence headquarters in the northern region (of Israel), which is responsible for the killings… with salvos of Katyusha rockets”, adding that it was “a response to attacks by the enemy Israelis” in southern Lebanon.

A source close to Hezbollah said the leader of the Al-Radwan force, an elite unit of the pro-Iranian Lebanese formation, was killed in an Israeli strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut. “The Israeli strike targeted the leader of the Al-Radwan force, Ibrahim Aqil, who was killed,” the source added.

Consequences of the Airstrike

The Israeli army announced that they had carried out a “targeted strike” on Beirut, where a security source reported an Israeli strike on the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital, one of Hezbollah’s strongholds.

The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported at least 3 deaths and 17 injured in the initial assessment of the strike.

Hezbollah’s Response

Hezbollah said its fighters targeted the Israeli intelligence base with salvos of Katyusha rockets, in response to the Israeli air raid that killed an important leader of the pro-formation.