A senior Hezbollah leader and its former military commander in southern Lebanon, Nabil Kaouk, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Sunday, making him the seventh senior Hezbollah leader to be assassinated in the past few days.
In just over a week, Israel has flatted traces of land in Lebanon, intensifying its airstrikes against Hezbollah’s ‘terror targets’. On Friday, the Israeli military murdered the group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in Beirut.
The onslaught has sent shockwaves through the Middle East, tipping the scale of the conflict towards the possibility of an all-out regional war. The attacks have also left Hezbollah grappling with a leadership crisis, with many of its longtime members now killed.
We take a look at the recent assassinations:
Hassan Nasrallah
Israeli military targeted Hezbollah’s headquarters in Beirut on Friday, resulting in massive explosions that claimed the life of Hassan Nasrallah. Nasrallah was chosen as the Secretary-General of Hezbollah in 1992, after his predecessor Abbas al-Musawi was killed in an Israeli helicopter strike.
For over three decades, Nasrallah was the face of Hezbollah, transforming it from a local militia into a political and military force in the region.
Nabil Kaouk
The latest senior leader to be eliminated, Nabil Kaouk was the deputy head of Hezbollah’s Central Council. A member of Hezbollah since 1980s, Kaouk had previously served as Hezbollah’s military commander in southern Lebanon. In 2020, the United States had announced sanctions against him.
Ali Karaki
Karaki, who headed Hezbollah’s southern front, playing a key role in the ongoing war. Little is known about Karaki, who was killed alongside Nasrallah, reported AP.
Ibrahim Akil
A top commander and leader of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Forces, Akil was also a member of its highest military body, the Jihad Council. As per the AP report, Akil had been on the United States’ wanted list for years.
Top leaders of Hezbollah (NYT)
Mohammad Hussein Surur
Lebanon based Hezbollah militant group also confirmed that one of its commanders, Mohammad Hussein Surur, died in an airstrike on 26 September.
Surur, who was the head of one of Hezbollah’s drone units, is the latest senior ranked commander neutralised by Israel. The Israeli military had earlier said in a statement that its fighter jets “targeted and eliminated” Surur.
Ibrahim Kobeissi
On September 25, leader of Hezbollah’s missile unit, Ibrahim Kobeissi was killed in an airstrike. The Iran-backed group mourned Kobeissi’s death saying he was ‘martyred on the road to Jerusalem’.
Ahmad Wehbe
On 21 September, Hezbollah had said Ahmed Wahbi, a top commander who oversaw the military operations of the Radwan special forces during the Gaza war until early 2024, was killed in an Israel strike on Beirut suburbs.
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