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2024 Haret Hreik airstrike

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On 30 July 2024, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted an airstrike targeting Haret Hreik in the suburbs of Beirut aimed at Fouad Shuker, a senior Hezbollah commander. The IDF attributed it to the commander's involvement in the deadly Majdal Shams massacre two days earlier, in which 12 children and teenagers were killed in a rocket attack.[1][2] The strike took place in the Dahieh district in the southern suburbs of Beirut, an area known to be a stronghold of Hezbollah. Lebanese state news NNA reported it was carried out by a drone firing three missiles.[2]

2024 Haret Hreik airstrike
Part of the Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present) and the spillover of the Israel–Hamas war
Fuad Shukr
TypeAirstrike
Location
Beirut, Lebanon
Planned by Israel
ObjectiveRetaliation for the Majdal Shams massacre
Date30 July 2024
7:40 (GMT+3:00)
Executed by Israeli Air Force
OutcomeUnknown
Casualties1 woman killed
17+ injured

Fuad Shukr, also known as al-Hajj Mohsin, was a Specially Designated Global Terrorist and a senior advisor on military affairs to Hasan Nasrallah, secretary-general of terrorist organization Hezbollah. He also served in the Hezbollah's highest military body, the Jihad Council. Shukr played an important role in the 23 October 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marine Corps Barracks in Beirut which killed 241 U.S. military personnel and wounded 128 others.[3] In 2017, the US Treasury offered $5 million for information on Shukr.[4][5]

According to Israeli officials, the country aimed to send "a very strong message" with the attack but hopes to avoid further escalation. It remains uncertain how the terrorist group will respond to the strike.[6] Early reports indicated that Shukr survived, but later, Saudi news outlet AlHadath reported that he died and his body is now being held at a Beirut hospital.[7]

Background

Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and paramilitary group, is supported and funded by Iran and reportedly serves as their proxy in regional conflicts.[8][9][10] Since its inception, the elimination of the state of Israel has been one of Hezbollah's primary goals.[11][12][13][14] The group has engaged in many conflicts with Israel, including the South Lebanon conflict, the Shebaa Farms conflict, and the 2006 Lebanon War. Following the latter, and despite the Israeli withdrawal from South Lebanon, Hezbollah did not disarm, contrary to the requirements of UN Security Council resolution 1701.[15]

A day after Hamas' 7 October attack on Israel, Hezbollah joined the conflict by launching guided rockets and drone attacks at Israeli communities and military installations in northern Israel. This conflict has displaced entire communities in Israel and Lebanon, with significant damage to buildings and land along the border. As of 5 July 2024, Israel reports having killed approximately 366 Hezbollah operatives with over 100 Lebanese civilians confirmed killed. According to the UN, over 90,000 people in Lebanon have been forced to flee their homes, while in Israel, 60,000 civilians have evacuated.[16] Israel and Hezbollah have maintained their attacks at a level that causes significant harm without escalating into a full-scale war.[17] From 7 October 2023 to 21 June 2024, Israel attacked Lebanon 6,124 times. Hezbollah and other Lebanese forces attacked Israel 1,258 times.[18]

On 27 July 2024, the Majdal Shams attack took place when a football pitch was hit by a rocket in the Druze town of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights,[a] resulting in the deaths of 12 children and young people from the Druze minority.[19][20] This incident became the deadliest along Israel's border with Lebanon since the onset of the 2023 conflict, provoking widespread outrage and shock due to the victims' young age.[21] Israel and the United States have attributed the attack to Hezbollah, noting that the rocket was an Iranian-made Falaq-1 with a warhead containing over 50 kilograms of explosives.[22] Hezbollah has, however, firmly denied any involvement.[21] In response, Israel vowed to retaliate while explicitly aiming to specifically target Hezbollah and avoid escalating the conflict into a full-scale regional war.[23] Before the attack, several international airliners ceased their flights to Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport.[24] Earlier on Tuesday, Hezbollah rocket attack on Kibbutz HaGoshrim in the Upper Galilee killed an Israeli civilian.[4]

Attack

Witnesses reported a loud explosion at around 7:40 PM (local time)[25] in the Dahieh district of Beirut, a well-known Hezbollah stronghold.[26] The attack targeted Hezbollah military leader Fouad Shuker,[1] near Hezbollah's Shura Council.[27]

The Hezbollah commander targeted has been identified as Fuad Shukr, also known as Hajj Mohsin. Shukr, a senior adviser to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, was previously named by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as a commander of the group's precision missile project. He is also sought by the United States for his involvement in the 1983 bombing of a US Marines barracks in Beirut,[28] which killed 241 U.S. military personnel and wounded 128 others.[3]

It is unclear if Muhsan was among those killed in the attack. However, sources informed AlHadath news channel that two individuals were reported dead.[27] The IDF's statement did not specify the exact method of the strike, but Lebanese state news agency National News Agency (NNA) reported that the attack was executed using a drone that launched three missiles.[2]

The Israeli military said the attack targeted "the commander responsible for the murder of the children."[29] Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated on X (formerly Twitter) that "Hezbollah crossed the red line" minutes after the airstrike.[27][2]

Early reports indicated that Fuad Shukr survived the airstrike. However, Saudi-owned news outlets have since cited sources reporting that Shukr was killed in the attack. According to AlHadath news, his body is now being held at a Beirut hospital, surrounded by a security cordon.[7]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Israel captured the territory from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day war and later annexed it. Most of the international community consider the territory part of Syria occupied by Israel, though this is disputed by Israel and the United States.

References

  1. ^ a b Ari, Lior Ben (30 July 2024). "Loud blast heard in Lebanese capital Beirut, Reuters witness says". Ynetnews. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Qiblawi, Tamara (30 July 2024). "Israel says it has struck Beirut as explosion rocks Hezbollah stronghold in Lebanese capital". CNN. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Fuad Shukr – Rewards For Justice". Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b Ari, Lior Ben; Reutrers (30 July 2024). "In response to Golan massacre, Israel attacks senior Hezbollah officer Fuad Shukr in Beirut". Ynetnews. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  5. ^ Presse, AFP-Agence France. "Source Close To Hezbollah Says Top Commander Fuad Shukr Survived Israeli Strike". www.barrons.com. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  6. ^ Radford, Aditi Sangal, Sana Noor Haq, Antoinette (30 July 2024). "Israel Hezbollah latest". CNN. Retrieved 30 July 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ a b "In reversal, reports now say Fuad Shukr was killed in Israel strike". The Times of Israel. 30 July 2024.
  8. ^ "Hezbollah | Meaning, History, & Ideology | Britannica". Encyclopædia Britannica. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  9. ^ "What Is Hezbollah?". Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  10. ^ "Hezbollah is the Long Arm of Iran - Factsheet 5". www.ajc.org. 20 September 2019. Archived from the original on 30 November 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  11. ^ Adam Shatz (29 April 2004). "In Search of Hezbollah". The New York Review of Books. Archived from the original on 22 August 2006. Retrieved 14 August 2006.
  12. ^ United Nations Document A/54/723 S/2000/55, citing Al Hayyat, 30 October 1999 Letter dated 25 January 2000 from the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General Archived 10 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 17 August 2006
  13. ^ "Hizbollah promises Israel a blood-filled new year, Iran calls for Israel's end". The Brunswickan Online. Archived from the original on 25 August 2007. Retrieved 1 September 2017. (Student newspaper)
  14. ^ Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada Listed Entities – Hizballah Archived 19 November 2006 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 31 July 2006
  15. ^ "Fears grow of all-out Israel-Hezbollah war as fighting escalates". The Guardian. 17 December 2023. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  16. ^ "Israel-Hezbollah: Mapping the scale of damage of cross-border attacks". BBC. Archived from the original on 26 July 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  17. ^ Keller-Lynn, Carrie (27 July 2024). "Deadly Rocket Strike on Soccer Field Raises Risk of Escalation with Hezbollah". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  18. ^ At least 12 killed in rocket attack in Israeli-occupied Golan Heights Archived 29 July 2024 at the Wayback Machine Al Jazeera 27 July 2024
  19. ^ Fabian, Emanuel (27 July 2024). "12 killed, mostly children, dozens hurt as Hezbollah rocket hits Majdal Shams soccer field". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  20. ^ "Missile hit in Majdal Shams kills nine, injures at least 34 including children". Ynetnews. 27 July 2024. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  21. ^ a b "Explosion hits Beirut suburb as Israel says it carries out strike". BBC News. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  22. ^ Lewis, Simon. "US blames Hezbollah for Golan Heights attack, says it doesn't want escalation". Reuters.
  23. ^ "Israeli officials say they want to avoid all-out war in Lebanon retaliation". Reuters. 30 July 2024.
  24. ^ Barrington, Lisa (29 July 2024). "Beirut flights cancelled or delayed amid fears of Israeli attack". Reuters.
  25. ^ Israeli military says targeted strike in Beirut is retaliation for Golan Heights attack CBC (30 July 2024)
  26. ^ Smith, Benedict; Cleave, Iona; Barber, Harriet (30 July 2024). "Suspected Israeli strike targets Hezbollah commander in Beirut". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  27. ^ a b c Ari, Lior Ben; Reutrers (30 July 2024). "In response to Golan massacre, Israel attacks senior Hezbollah officer Fuad Shukr in Beirut". Ynetnews. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  28. ^ Fabian, Emanuel (30 July 2024). "Targeted Hezbollah commander named as Fuad Shukr, head of precision missile project who is wanted by US". The Times of Israel.
  29. ^ "Israel Launches Strike in Beirut in Wake of Deadly Golan Heights Attack". The Wall Street Journal. 30 July 2024.
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