An Israeli airstrike in Beirut has killed senior Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil and at least 15 militants.
At a Glance
- Israel launched an airstrike in southern Beirut, killing senior Hezbollah military official Ibrahim Akil and 10 other Hezbollah operatives.
- The strike targeted the Dahiya district, a densely populated area in Beirut.
- Lebanese authorities reported at least 14 people killed and dozens wounded.
- The airstrike leveled an apartment building where Akil was meeting with other militants.
Israeli Airstrike Targets Dahiya District
An Israeli airstrike on a densely populated area in southern Beirut has resulted in the death of Ibrahim Akil, a senior military official of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Forces. The strike, which was carried out during rush hour, leveled an apartment building in the Dahiya district, where Akil was reportedly meeting with other militants.
The Lebanese health ministry confirmed at least 14 casualties and around 66 injured, with several in serious condition. Rescue operations continued late into Friday night to reach the basement of the collapsed building, as crowds gathered at Beirut’s St. Therese Hospital to donate blood for the wounded.
An Israeli airstrike on a Beirut apartment block killed a senior Hezbollah leader and about a dozen other members of the militant group, Israel's military said Saturday as Lebanon raised the attack's death toll to 37, including women and children. https://t.co/EiU4o6onJG
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) September 21, 2024
The Motive Behind the Attack
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) described the airstrike as an effort to disrupt immediate threats to Israel. In the past few days, Hezbollah has launched multiple rocket and drone attacks towards northern Israel. The airstrike, described by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant as part of “a new phase of war,” aimed to neutralize the growing threats from Hezbollah.
Hezbollah, a heavily armed militant group with a membership base estimated between 40,000 and 50,000, confirmed the death of Aqil, describing him as a “great jihadist leader.” Ibrahim Akil had a known history of involvement in the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut and was sanctioned by the U.S.
#Lebanese militant group #Hezbollah said on Saturday (September 21, 2024) that a second senior commander was among 15 of its fighters killed in an #Israeli air strike on its Beirut stronghold the previous day.https://t.co/ysvDzaiSgw
— The Hindu (@the_hindu) September 21, 2024
Response and International Reactions
The airstrike has sparked international reactions, with Hamas condemning the attack as a “new crime” and a “violation of Lebanese sovereignty.” Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department had previously offered a $7 million reward for information leading to Akil’s arrest or conviction.
The incident comes in the wake of escalating conflicts since Hamas’s recent assault on southern Israel, which had heightened tensions across the region. Hezbollah’s rocket attacks on northern Israel, numbering over 140 rockets, have led Israel to bolster its military presence along the northern border and advise citizens to stay close to bomb shelters.
Sources:
- Rare Israeli airstrike in Beirut kills Hezbollah commander and more than a dozen others
- Hezbollah targets base near Haifa after Israeli strike in Beirut killed 37, including top commander
