Israeli airstrike kills Hezbollah commander in Beirut retaliation
6:27 AM EDT, July 31, 2024
As a result of a retaliatory attack by Israel on Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, Fuad Shukr was killed, the Israeli military said in a statement. He served as the chief military commander of Hezbollah.
The air operation carried out by Israeli forces took place on Tuesday evening Eastern Time. It was directed against Shukr, who was responsible for the attack on the Golan Heights area controlled by Israel. As a result of that attack, which occurred on Saturday, 12 people lost their lives.
Shukr, also known as Hajj Mohsin, held the highest position in Hezbollah's military structure, the Israeli army emphasized in an official statement announcing his death.
Fuad Shukr was also wanted by the US
A close advisor to the movement's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, Shukr also had a place on the Jihad Council, which signifies his influential role in the organization's military operations. Lebanese and Saudi media also confirmed his death.
Since Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Shukr coordinated attacks aimed at northern Israel, including a deadly air raid on the town of Majdal Shams, where 12 children and teens were killed, the Israeli military reported.
The deceased commander was also responsible for Hezbollah's advanced weapons programs, which operated with support from Iran. Shukr joined Hezbollah in 1985 and has participated in many attacks against Israel since then.
Shukr was also on the US authorities' wanted list as the main perpetrator of the 1983 bombing of the US Marine barracks in Beirut, where 241 American soldiers and 58 French soldiers died. The United States had offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to his capture.
Three people killed in attack on Beirut
The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported that Tuesday's attack on Beirut's suburbs killed three people and injured 85, with five people in critical condition.
Israel's attempt to retaliate against Hezbollah for the attack on Majdal Shams was previously announced by authorities in Jerusalem and Washington, who unanimously pointed to Hezbollah as the perpetrator of the attack. However, the Lebanese organization denies its responsibility.
Before Tuesday's airstrike, anonymous Israeli sources indicated in the media that the operation's goal was not to escalate into a full-scale war.
The newspaper "Haaretz" writes that Hezbollah conveyed through intermediaries that the group will not comply with global appeals not to respond to the Israeli retaliation and reserves the right to respond to the attack.
