Explosive Strike: Israel Claims Killing Top Hezbollah Commander

News Today: Israel Claims to Have Killed Hezbollah Commander Fuad Shukr

Israel claims it has killed a top Hezbollah commander after carrying out a strike on a southern suburb of the Lebanese capital Beirut. At least one person was killed and several others were wounded in the explosion in Dahiyeh, a stronghold of the Lebanese armed group.

The Israeli military says Fuad Shukr was the target of an “intelligence-based elimination” by fighter jets. Officials say he was responsible for a rocket attack on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday which killed 12 people, mostly children. Hezbollah has denied any involvement in that attack.

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the “blatant Israeli aggression,” describing it as a “criminal act” in a “series of aggressive operations killing civilians in clear and explicit violation of international law.”

In a brief post on social media after the attack, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said, “Hezbollah crossed the red line.”

It is not yet clear if Fuad Shukr was killed in the attack. Security sources in Beirut say the intended target was not in the building. Hezbollah has not yet made a statement.

An Israeli official confirmed to US media that Israel gave the US notice of its Beirut strike. Fuad Shukr is believed to be a senior advisor to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The US has previously offered a $5m reward for information about him, alleging he played a “central role” in the 1983 bombing of a US Marines barracks in Beirut, which killed 241 US military personnel.

Haret Hreik, the area of Dahiyeh hit by the air strike, is densely populated and strongly fortified. Dahiyeh itself is surrounded by Hezbollah checkpoints.

Speaking after the Israeli strike, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that US President Joe Biden believed a wider war between Israel and Hezbollah could be avoided. “We do not want to see an escalation, we do not want to see an all-out war,” she said.