Israeli military claims airstrike killed commander of Hezbollah missile unit

 

A rescuer searches for survivors in a building that was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburb, on September 24. 

Hassan Ammar/AP

The Israeli military has claimed that a senior Hezbollah commander in charge of the group’s missile unit was killed in an airstrike on an apartment building in south Beirut Tuesday. 

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) identified the commander as Ibrahim Qubaisi and added that “during the attack, there were other key commanders in Hezbollah’s missile and rocket array” at the location.

Qubaisi commanded various missile units of Hezbollah, including the precision missile units, the IDF said.

“Over the years and during the war, he was responsible for the launches towards Israel,” describing him as “a center of knowledge in the field of missiles and was close to the senior military leadership of Hezbollah.”

The IDF claimed that “as part of his duties in the terrorist organization, he was responsible for the planning and execution of many terrorist plots against IDF forces” and Israeli citizens.

The strike demolished two upper stories of the building in Beirut. Hezbollah has yet to comment on any high-profile casualties as a result of the strike.