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An Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut killed Lebanese Hezbollah senior commander Fuad Shukr, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated on July 30. This retaliatory strike came in response to a rocket attack launched by Hezbollah on July 28 that targeted the northern Israeli town of Majdal Shams, leaving 12 civilians dead and others injured.
“The IDF announces today (Tuesday), July 30, 2024, that in a targeted, intelligence-based elimination, Israeli Air Force fighter jets eliminated the Hezbollah terrorist organization’s most senior military commander and the head of its Strategic Unit, Fuad Shukr “Sayyid Muhsan,” in the area of Beirut. Fuad served as Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah’s right-hand man and was Nasrallah’s adviser for planning and directing wartime operations,” said the IDF.
The IDF alleged that Shukr was the commander responsible for the Majdal Shams attack and had been directing attacks on Israel since the start of the northern conflict on October 8, 2023. The IDF also detailed his additional roles with the terrorist group:
“[Shukr] was responsible for the majority of Hezbollah’s most advanced weaponry, including precise-guided missiles, cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, long-range rockets, and UAVs. He was responsible for force build-up, planning, and execution of terror attacks against the State of Israel,” stated the IDF.
Furthermore, the IDF emphasized Shukr’s longstanding involvement with Iran’s proxy in Lebanon, noting his recruitment into Lebanese Hezbollah in 1985 and his ascent to senior positions within the organization. Of particular significance, the IDF pointed out that Shukr was a member of the Jihad Council, the most prominent military forum within Hezbollah.
The United States had sought Shukr for his role in orchestrating and executing the 1983 terrorist attack that killed 241 American service personnel at the Marine Corps barracks in Beirut. Due to his actions on Lebanese Hezbollah’s behalf, the US Treasury Department also imposed sanctions on Shukr as a Specially Designated National on July 21, 2015, while the State Department Rewards for Justice program offered a $5 million reward for information on him.
Hamas and the Houthis, including other members of the Iran-led Resistance Axis, have issued statements condemning the Israeli attack on Beirut. As of now, Lebanese Hezbollah has yet to comment on the strike and has not acknowledged the death of Shukr. The group has also not responded militarily to the attack, despite credible reports it was moving precision-guided missiles in anticipation of an Israeli retaliation for the Majdal Shams incident.
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