An Israeli airstrike in Beirut on Tuesday killed Ibrahim Qubaisi, the head of Hezbollah’s missile division, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group. Ibrahim Qubaisi, a veteran Hezbollah commander, had played a crucial role in the group’s missile and rocket operations for decades. His death comes amid heightened cross-border clashes, raising concerns of a broader conflict in the region.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Ibrahim Qubaisi’s death in the Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut, a stronghold of Hezbollah. Israeli military officials noted that Ibrahim Qubaisi had been central to Hezbollah’s missile capabilities, overseeing its precision-guided missile program and coordinating attacks on Israel. The IDF also reported that two other high-ranking Hezbollah commanders involved in the group’s missile operations were killed in the same airstrike.
Hezbollah acknowledged Ibrahim Qubaisi’s death, calling him a martyr “on the road to Jerusalem,” a phrase the group uses for fighters killed by Israeli forces. Ibrahim Qubaisi had a long history with Hezbollah, having joined the organization in the 1980s. Over the years, he became a key figure in Hezbollah’s military strategy against Israel, participating in numerous operations. Notably, he was involved in the 2000 Mount Dov operation, where Hezbollah abducted three Israeli soldiers, whose bodies were later returned in a 2004 prisoner exchange. This high-profile attack solidified Ibrahim Qubaisi’s status within Hezbollah’s military wing.
The airstrike came after a barrage of rocket fire from Hezbollah, with the group launching over 300 rockets at northern Israeli cities such as Haifa, Safed, and Nazareth. Israeli air raid sirens were triggered across the Galilee region as tensions between the two sides escalated. The exchange of fire follows the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, which has led to a surge in violence between Israel and Hezbollah. Analysts fear this could spiral into a full-scale regional war, drawing in Iran-backed groups from countries like Yemen and Iraq.
The Lebanese Health Ministry reported that the Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh also killed six civilians and injured 15 others. This is part of a larger escalation in the conflict that has claimed hundreds of lives in Lebanon in recent days, mostly due to Israeli airstrikes.
Global leaders have expressed growing alarm over the situation. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that Lebanon is on the brink of disaster, while US President Joe Biden urged restraint from both sides to prevent further escalation. Despite these calls, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue targeting Hezbollah’s military infrastructure in Lebanon, stating, “We will continue to hit Hezbollah,” and warning that any home sheltering missiles would be destroyed.
