Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil, who was killed in an Israeli strike on Beirut. AFP
Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil, who was killed in an Israeli strike on Beirut. AFP
Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil, who was killed in an Israeli strike on Beirut. AFP
Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil, who was killed in an Israeli strike on Beirut. AFP

Who is Ibrahim Aqil, Hezbollah's commander killed in Beirut strike?


Nada Homsi
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Senior Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil was killed in an Israeli strike that destroyed a residential building in the southern Beirut suburb of Dahieh on Friday.

The attack killed at least 14 people, including Mr Aqil, and wounded 66, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

Two Israeli missiles launched by an F-35 jet levelled the building where Mr Aqil was staying. A statement by Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari claimed the strike took out Mr Aqil and "top operatives and the chain of command of the Radwan unit".

Mr Aqil and other commanders of the elite Hezbollah force were reportedly meeting underneath the building, according to Hagari.

Mr Aqil sat on Hezbollah’s top military body, the Jihad Council. Israeli media reports allege he became Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah's second-in-command following Israel's assassination in July of Fouad Shukr, who had previously held the role.

The US Department of State placed a bounty on Mr Aqil's head in 2023, offering $7 million for information
The US Department of State placed a bounty on Mr Aqil's head in 2023, offering $7 million for information

A Hezbollah official initially declined to comment on whether Mr Aqil was the attack's target and whether Israel had succeeded in its assassination attempt, saying that the “search for a body is still ongoing”. In a later statement, the group confirmed his death and praised him as "one of its great leaders".

Mr Aqil, also known as Hajj Tahseen, was responsible for the 1983 bombing of the US embassy in Beirut, conducted by the Islamic Jihad Organisation – a precursor to Hezbollah. Some 63 people were killed in the attack. He was also involved in an assault on a US Marines barracks in October 1983 that killed 241 US troops. He also directed several operations in which US and German citizens were taken hostage by Hezbollah.

The aftermath of the 1983 truck bombing of the US Embassy in Beirut. AP Photo
The aftermath of the 1983 truck bombing of the US Embassy in Beirut. AP Photo

Mr Hagari said Mr Aqil was behind other attacks against Israel. He was "responsible for the anti-tank fire at the Avivim post in 2019, for the attack at the Megiddo Junction in 2023, and for attempted infiltration of Hezbollah terrorists into the territory of the State of Israel, in order to murder and kill civilians and soldiers", he said.

The Israeli army also alleges that Mr Aqil was one of the primary commanders responsible for drawing up Hezbollah battle plans for a takeover of northern Israel’s Galilee region. In April 2023, the US Department of State placed a bounty on Mr Aqil, offering $7 million for information.

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French business

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The Emirates Charity Portal

You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments

The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.

Al Noor Special Needs Centre

You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.

Beit Al Khair Society

Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.

Dar Al Ber Society

Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.

Dubai Cares

Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.

Emirates Airline Foundation

Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.

Emirates Red Crescent

On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.

Gulf for Good

Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.

Noor Dubai Foundation

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).

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Updated: September 24, 2024, 7:01 AM