The target of the attack was Fuad Shukr, also known as Muhsin Shukr and Hajj Muhsin. In the late afternoon, the Israeli military issued a statement saying Shukr had been killed. Hezbollah did not immediately confirm this.
Although Israel has killed several Hezbollah commanders since October 7, it has yet to strike the group in Beirut. The south of that city is a Hezbollah stronghold.
In January, a senior Hamas member was killed in the same area of the city, but Israel never admitted to being behind the attack. Now Israel is announcing the attack loud and clear. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant dwelt on X in a brief statement: “Hezbollah has crossed a red line.”
About the Author
Joram Bolle is a news reporter for of Volkskrant.
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz describes Shukr as Hezbollah’s number two. According to the United States, which has put a bounty on Shukr’s head for years, he is a member of Hezbollah’s supreme military council and a close adviser to Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s leader. He is wanted by the United States for a 1983 attack on a U.S. military base in Beirut that left more than 200 dead. He has been offered $5 million.
‘Targeted attack’
Although the Israeli army spoke of a “targeted attack,” two floors of the apartment building that Israel was targeting have collapsed, according to Lebanese media. The attack took place near where Hezbollah’s top political body is based, Lebanese media said.
Israel is said to have attacked with a drone and fired three missiles. At least one person was killed and 35 wounded in the attack, the Lebanese Health Ministry said. All are believed to be civilians.
Lebanon has been anxiously waiting in recent days to see what Israeli retaliation would look like for the attack on Majdal Shams, a town in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. It was the deadliest attack on Lebanese civilians since October 7, killing twelve young men. However, Hezbollah denied being behind the attack. Israel vowed revenge.
Full war
Following the attack, the international community made frantic efforts to calm emotions and prevent a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah. The big question now is whether Israel considers the retaliation complete. We also have to wait for Hezbollah’s response, which is unlikely to leave an attack on a very high-ranking member of the movement unanswered.
In response, the United States said it believes a full-scale war can still be avoided. Iran, Hezbollah’s main ally, condemned the Israeli attack.
