Israeli Strike on Beirut Eliminates Hezbollah Missile Chief

Latest Developments

An Israeli air strike on Beirut’s Dahiyeh suburb, a Hezbollah stronghold, eliminated Ibrahim Qubaisi, the head of Hezbollah’s rocket and missile division, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on September 24. Qubaisi was a 40-year veteran of the Iran-backed terrorist organization who headed up core projects that included the effort to add more precision-guided ordnance to its arsenal. Qubaisi was killed as Israel carried out some 1,600 attacks on Hezbollah positions on the second day of “Operation Northern Arrows.” IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said on September 24 that Israel would not relent in its military pressure on Hezbollah. “Hezbollah must not be given a break. [We must] keep working with all our might,” Halevi said during a meeting with IDF officers. “The situation requires continued intensive action on all fronts.”

On September 23, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Jerusalem is trying to stymie threats in Lebanon before Hezbollah can execute them. “We are not waiting for the threat; we are preempting it — everywhere, in every sector, constantly,” Netanyahu said. “We are eliminating senior figures, terrorists, and missiles — and our arm is still extended. Whoever tries to harm us, we will harm them all the more forcefully.”

Expert Analysis

“Through precision attacks on both men and materiel, Israel is eliminating what had been an unprecedented threat to its home front: missiles capable of homing in on key infrastructure and rockets meant to be launched en masse to overwhelm its air defenses. But much of the terrorist arsenal remains in place, and it would be ill-advised for the Israelis to celebrate too soon or for foreign powers to prematurely demand that this campaign end.” — Mark Dubowitz, FDD CEO

“Israel is finally committed to climbing the escalation ladder until its primary objective is achieved: the return of 60,000 civilians to their homes. Israel has disrupted communications, eliminated key leadership assets, degraded command and control, and is now working through every target in the bank to degrade Hezbollah’s strategic capabilities. And there’s still a long way Israel can go up the escalation ladder.” — Richard Goldberg, FDD Senior Advisor

“Israel has entered an intermediate level of escalation with Hezbollah. It’s not the tit-for-tat that has prevailed along the Blue Line for 11 months, but it’s also not war — not yet. The Israelis are instead raising the price considerably for Hezbollah’s continued attacks on northern Israel in order to get the group to back down and accept ceasefire terms that will allow Israelis to return home safely.” — David Daoud, FDD Senior Fellow

Hezbollah Launches Rocket Barrages at Israel

Hezbollah fired more than 270 rockets at northern Israel on September 24, setting off sirens in cities including Haifa, Safed, Nazareth, and Yokne’am as well as across the Galilee. The attacks began at 2:40 a.m. local time and continued throughout the day. Israel’s Ynet news outlet reported that in one attack toward the Krayot, Haifa’s northern suburbs, and Haifa Bay Tuesday morning, a rocket exploded on Route 70, near the northern Israeli city of Tamra. In the northern Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona, rockets struck municipal warehouses and caused a fire to break out. One person was wounded by falling shrapnel during an attack near Mount Carmel, which is east of the city of Haifa.

Related Analysis

“IDF Calls on Lebanese Civilians to Leave Areas Where Hezbollah Is Active,” FDD Flash Brief

“Hezbollah Launches Fresh Barrage of Rocket Attacks Deep Into Northern Israel,” FDD Flash Brief

“Top Hezbollah Commander and Radwan Force Leaders Eliminated in Israeli Air Strike on Beirut,” FDD Flash Brief