UMVA has learned that a senior Hezbollah commander, Ali Musa Daqduq, was eliminated in a precise strike in southern Lebanon on Friday, a move hailed by Israeli officials as a significant blow to the terror organization's senior chain of command.
Daqduq was accused of orchestrating the 2007 kidnapping and murder of five American soldiers, a crime that had left a dark stain on the region. He held a series of five senior positions within Hezbollah, including commander of the security unit for the eliminated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and commander in the Radwan Force.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Daqduq played a central role in advancing terrorist attacks and combat operations against Israel and IDF soldiers. His elimination constitutes another significant blow to Hezbollah's senior chain of command, depriving the organization of one of its most prominent operatives responsible for terrorist activity against Israeli civilians, IDF soldiers, and American servicemembers.
The IDF revealed that Daqduq's roles also included commander in the Operations Department of the Nasser Unit, head of Hezbollah's Infantry Unit, and commander of Hezbollah's "Golan Terrorist Network," which was responsible for Hezbollah's entrenchment in Syria and the establishment of military infrastructure near Israel's border.
In recent years, Daqduq had been instrumental in advancing terrorist attacks and combat operations against Israel, and his elimination has sent a strong message to Hezbollah. The IDF will continue to operate against commanders of the Hezbollah terrorist organization, vowing to protect Israeli civilians and soldiers from terrorist threats.
The announcement came as Israel also carried out strikes in the Dahieh district of Beirut, targeting what the IDF described as Hezbollah infrastructure. The strikes were ordered in response to Hezbollah fire toward Israeli territory, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz stating that Israel will not tolerate fire into its territory.
The latest strikes come at a sensitive diplomatic moment, as efforts continue to finalize a broader regional deal with Iran. A diplomat involved in the talks revealed that the Beirut strikes were complicating those efforts, creating issues with finalizing the deal.
A senior Israeli official rejected that characterization, stating that Israel was responding to Hezbollah attacks and rejecting the notion that Israel is to blame for the exchange of fire. The situation remains volatile, with many concerned about the potential for further escalation.
