Hezbollah leaders convened for the funeral of a top commander killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on Friday. Ibrahim Aqil, who led Hezbollah’s military operations and acted as commander of the Radwan Force, was laid to rest on Sunday. The explosion that killed him reportedly resulted in 37 deaths, including three children and 15 other commanders.
The funeral procession in Dahieh, a southern suburb of Beirut, drew hundreds of attendees. Many wore military uniforms and carried the flag of the Iran-backed group. Simultaneously, the funeral of Hezbollah member Mahmoud Hamad was also occurring. Supporters carried photos of Aqil alongside Palestinian, Iranian, and Lebanese flags, with a song about martyrdom for Jerusalem playing in the background.
The Israel Defence Forces stated that Aqil, who was in his early 60s, died with other Radwan commanders during an underground bunker meeting. Aqil had been injured in pager explosions on Tuesday but was discharged from the hospital on Friday, hours before the fatal airstrike. On Tuesday and Wednesday, pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah members exploded, killing 39 and injuring thousands across Lebanon.
❗️🇮🇱⚔️🇱🇧 – IDF Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari:
“We can now confirm that Ibrahim Aqil was eliminated along with other high-ranking terrorists in Hezbollah’s Radwan Forces. The entire top command of the elite Radwn forces has been killed. Ibrahim Aqil had the blood of many innocent… pic.twitter.com/IIiLzHgaoE
— 🔥🗞The Informant (@theinformant_x) September 20, 2024
An airstrike later on Friday killed Aqil, other Hezbollah members, and 32 civilians. Israel has claimed responsibility only for the airstrike. Earlier today, Israeli President Isaac Herzog denied any involvement in the pager explosions. Speaking on Sky News on Sunday morning, Herzog said Israel faces a ‘dangerous situation’ with potential for dramatic escalation.
Before today, Israel had not commented on the attacks. The president firmly denied any connection to the pager explosions. Herzog noted, ‘Hezbollah has repeatedly created havoc in Lebanon. We are simply defending ourselves.’ Aqil, a career terrorist and close associate of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, had a £5 million bounty on his head for his role in the 1983 bombing of the US embassy in Beirut, which killed 63 people.
He was also involved in the twin bombings of US Marine barracks in Lebanon the same year, which killed 241 US personnel and 307 people in total. US Middle East envoy Brett McGurk, speaking at the Israeli-American Council’s conference in Washington, remarked, ‘Ibrahim Aqil was responsible for the Beirut embassy bombing 40 years ago, so nobody sheds a tear for him.’
At Aqil’s funeral, Hezbollah’s deputy leader Naim Qassem, seen in the front row, warned that Hezbollah had entered a new phase in its battle with Israel. ‘As we are pained, you will also be pained,’ he said. Qassem vowed that the conflict would harm Israel’s economy and told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he would not achieve his goals.
Hezbollah has lost several senior military leaders recently, but Qassem stated the group has ‘returned stronger’ and the frontline will reflect this. Qassem described Aqil as a martyr for Jerusalem and Palestine who founded the Radwan Unit. He asserted that Israel’s attack aimed to weaken resistance and incite hostility to halt support for Gaza and affect northern residents.
Hezbollah hailed Aqil as one of its ‘great jihadist leaders’. The funeral followed a night of heavy fire exchanged between Israel and Lebanon. The IDF promised to intensify strikes on Hezbollah targets. On Saturday, the Israeli military said it struck around 290 targets, including thousands of Hezbollah rocket launcher barrels. Early on Sunday, Israel closed schools and restricted gatherings in many northern areas.
Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, IDF spokesman, said dozens of fighter jets extensively struck southern Lebanon after detecting Hezbollah preparing to fire toward Israeli territory. The IDF reported earlier that it had destroyed about 180 sites and thousands of rocket launcher barrels.
More than 100 projectiles were fired from Lebanon early Sunday, with fire services working to extinguish blazes caused by falling munitions. Israeli media reported that some buildings were hit by missiles or debris. Ambulance services treated a few lightly injured people, but no serious casualties were reported.
Hezbollah stated on its Telegram channel that it targeted the Israeli Ramat David Airbase with dozens of missiles in response to ‘repeated Israeli attacks on Lebanon’.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
Who was Ibrahim Aqil?
Ibrahim Aqil was the head of Hezbollah’s military operations and acting commander of the Radwan Force.
How did Ibrahim Aqil die?
Ibrahim Aqil was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Friday after being discharged from the hospital earlier that day.
What happened during Aqil’s funeral?
Hundreds attended, many in military uniforms, carrying flags and photos, with songs about martyrdom playing in the background.
Did Israel admit to the pager explosions?
No, Israeli President Herzog denied any involvement in the pager explosions.
What was the response from Hezbollah during the funeral?
Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Naim Qassem, warned of ongoing conflict and vowed to destroy Israel’s economy.
