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An Israeli airstrike in Beirut on September 20, 2024, killed Ibrahim Aqil, a high-ranking Hezbollah commander. The Israeli military confirmed the targeted strike, stating that Aqil served on Hezbollah's top military body and was the acting commander of the group's elite Radwan force.
Aqil, who had a $7 million bounty on his head from the United States, was wanted for his alleged involvement in the 1983 bombings of the U.S. Embassy and Marine Corps barracks in Beirut, which killed 300 Americans. The U.S. State Department had designated him as a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist" in 2019.
The strike, which occurred in Beirut's southern suburbs, killed at least nine people and wounded 59 others, according to Lebanon's health ministry. This attack marks the second time in less than two months that Israel has targeted a leading Hezbollah military commander in Beirut, following the July killing of Fuad Shukr.
In response, Hezbollah fired Katyusha rockets at what it described as the main intelligence headquarters in northern Israel. The Israeli military reported warning sirens in northern Israel and heavy rocket fire in the region.
This latest incident comes amid escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. Earlier in the week, an unprecedented attack, widely believed to have been carried out by Israel, caused pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah members to explode, killing 37 people and wounding thousands.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby stated that the U.S. was not aware of any Israeli notification before the Beirut strike. He emphasized that "war is not inevitable" along the Blue Line, referring to the frontier between Lebanon and Israel.
The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has been intensifying since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023. Tens of thousands of people have been displaced on both sides of the border, raising concerns about a potential wider conflict in the region.
