Factbox: Who are the Assassinated Leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas? By Reuters

By Jana Choukeir

Israel has conducted operations targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah commanders in Lebanon and leaders of the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza, marking an intensification of the ongoing conflicts with its adversaries.

Here’s a summary of notable operations attributed to Israel against prominent figures within Hezbollah and Hamas.

HEZBOLLAH

IBRAHIM QUBAISI
On September 24, an airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut resulted in the death of Qubaisi, a commander in Hezbollah’s rocket division, according to security sources.

IBRAHIM AQIL
Israeli forces targeted and killed Ibrahim Aqil, Hezbollah’s operations commander, on September 20 in the southern suburbs of Beirut. Aqil, also known as Tahsin or Abdelqader, was a member of Hezbollah’s Jihad Council. The United States has linked him to the Beirut truck bombings in 1983, which resulted in numerous casualties.

AHMED WAHBI
Top commander Ahmed Wahbi, who led military operations for Hezbollah’s Radwan special forces during the recent Gaza conflict, was killed in an Israeli strike on September 20, which also took the life of Ibrahim Aqil.

FUAD SHUKR
On July 30, an Israeli attack in the southern suburbs of Beirut resulted in the death of Fuad Shukr, identified by the Israeli military as a senior figure and close associate of Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. Shukr had been a significant military leader since Hezbollah’s inception.

MOHAMMED NASSER
An Israeli airstrike on July 3 claimed the life of Mohammed Nasser, a senior Hezbollah commander responsible for operations along the border. Israel stated that he led a unit that conducted attacks against its territory.

TALEB ABDALLAH
Hezbollah field commander Taleb Abdallah was killed on June 12 in a strike that targeted a command center in southern Lebanon. His death led to an escalation in retaliatory fire from Hezbollah into Israeli territory.

HAMAS

MOHAMMED DEIF
On July 13, the Israeli military reported that Mohammed Deif was killed during a strike in Khan Younis, Gaza. Deif had previously survived multiple assassination attempts and was believed to have played a significant role in orchestrating Hamas’ recent attacks on Israel.

ISMAL HANIYEH
Ismail Haniyeh was reportedly killed in an assassination on July 31 in Iran, according to Hamas officials. A missile struck the guesthouse where he was staying; however, Israel has not confirmed involvement.

SALEH AL-AROURI
On January 2, 2024, an Israeli drone strike in the southern suburbs of Beirut resulted in the death of Saleh al-Arouri, Hamas’ deputy chief and a founder of the group’s military wing, the Qassam Brigades.

This series of operations illustrates the ongoing intensity of the conflicts involving these groups and Israel, as it seeks to neutralize leadership that it perceives as threats.