Ali Karaki, a senior Hezbollah official, was the target of an Israeli “targeted airstrike” in Beirut on Monday (Sep 23) evening, state reports. According to some reports, the senior most Hezbollah commander has been killed, however, an official confirmation of his fate is yet to be announced.
Who is Ali Karaki?
Karaki is in charge of Hezbollah’s so-called “Southern Front,” responsible for the terror group’s military activity in south Lebanon. He happens to be the third in command of Hezbollah’s armed forces and is the senior most figure in Hezbollah after the assassinations of senior commanders Fuad Shukr, and Ibrahim Aqil.
According to a Sky News Arabic report citing a Lebanese military source, Karaki was killed in the Israeli airstrike. Reportedly, three missiles struck the building in which the Hezbollah commander was staying.
As per reports, he was set to replace Aqil as the head of the group’s operations division.
Ibrahim Aqil
Ibrahim Aqil, also known as Tahsin, served in Hezbollah’s highest military body, the Jihad Council. He also led the elite Radwan Force, the outfit’s top military unit. He was assassinated on Friday (Sep 20) evening together with the commanders of the Radwan Force in a Beirut basement on Friday.
Confirming his death, the Israeli military said he alongside his troops had gathered underground when they were targeted and killed in an airstrike.
“They gathered underground, under a residential building, in the heart of the Dahiyeh, while using civilians as a human shield. They met to coordinate terror activities against Israeli civilians,” said Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari.
Aqil was the second-in-command of Hezbollah’s armed forces, behind Fuad Shukr, who was also killed in an Israeli strike in July.
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(With inputs from agencies)
