Hezbollah Leader Responsible for Majdal Shams and 1983 Beirut Attacks Killed by Israel

In a decisive military action, the Israeli Air Force conducted an airstrike in Beirut on Tuesday night, eliminating Fu’ad Shukr, a senior Hezbollah commander. Shukr was responsible for a recent rocket barrage that killed 12 children in Majdal Shams, as well as the 1983 Beirut bombing that resulted in the deaths of 241 U.S. troops.

The Israeli military confirmed the strike, which targeted Shukr, a key figure in Hezbollah's Jihad Council under the direct control of Hassan Nasrallah. "Today, July 30, 2024, 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, Fu’ad Shukr," the IDF announced.

Shukr, also known as al-Hajj Mohsin, had directed Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel since October 8. He was heavily involved in the planning and execution of the 1983 U.S. Marine Corps Barracks bombing in Beirut, marking him as a long-standing threat. Sanctioned by the United States in 2015, Shukr had a $5 million bounty on his head.

The airstrike, which hit near Hezbollah’s Shura Council building in Beirut's Dahiyeh district, received prior notification from Jerusalem to the White House through security channels, though the timing of the notification was not disclosed.

"Hezbollah crossed a red line," Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declared on social media following the strike. "Tonight, we have shown that the blood of our people has a price and that there is no place out of reach for our forces to this end."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after being briefed on the situation, convened a security assessment at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv. The meeting included top military and intelligence officials, including Defense Minister Gallant, Mossad head David Barnea, and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi.

The IDF’s Home Front Command maintained that citizen guidelines remained unchanged post-strike, emphasizing that any updates would be promptly communicated.

This action came in response to Hezbollah’s deadly rocket attack on the Golan Heights Druze town of Majdal Shams, which killed 12 children and wounded over 40 people, marking the deadliest attack on Israel by Hezbollah since October 7. Additionally, one Israeli civilian was killed by a Hezbollah rocket in Kibbutz Hagoshrim in the Galilee panhandle.

During a visit to Majdal Shams, Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed a strong response to Hezbollah’s actions. “These children are our children; they are the children of all of us. The State of Israel will not and cannot let this pass. Our response will come, and it will be tough,” he stated.

Hezbollah has threatened to retaliate against any Israeli military action, indicating readiness to escalate the conflict if provoked further. A senior Hezbollah official warned that they are prepared to attack army bases in the Golan Heights and the Haifa area in response to any Israeli aggression.

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