Hezbollah military leadership nearly wiped out – Israel

Nearly all of Hezbollah’s military leaders have been eliminated in recent Israeli strikes, officials in West Jerusalem have claimed, after the group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in a bombardment of a compound in Beirut.

In a post on X on Saturday, the Israeli Foreign Ministry released a diagram of what it said was Hezbollah's military chain of command. All of the 18 high-ranking members – including Nasrallah and Ali Karaki, the commander of Hezbollah’s Southern front, and the heads of several units – are said to have been “eliminated.” 

A separate post by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) listed 11 senior Hezbollah members, ten of whom were also described as “eliminated.” Only Abu Ali Rida, the commander of the Bader unit, has survived so far, according to the list. The IDF list largely mirrored the ministry’s, but included two additional names – Ibrahim Muhammad Qabisi, the commander of Hezbollah’s rocket and missile force, and Hussein Srour, the head of the Aerial Command – both of whom are also presumed dead.

Israel appeared to have trumpeted its successes against Hezbollah after announcing that Nasrallah had been killed in a powerful air strike in Beirut. Nasrallah, who led the group for more than 30 years, was widely regarded as an icon of resistance to Israel who oversaw the growth of Hezbollah’s power and influence.

Hours after West Jerusalem said it had killed the group's leader, Hezbollah confirmed the death, pledging to continue “its jihad in confronting the enemy, in support of Gaza and Palestine, and in defense of Lebanon and its steadfast and honorable people.” At the moment, it is unclear who will succeed Nasrallah.