Israel SitRep: September 27, 2024

Today’s Issue: | Hezbollah Aerial Unit Commander Eliminated in IAF Strike in Dahieh | IAF Strike That Killed Ibrahim Qubaisi on Tuesday Also Eliminated His Deputy | IAF Targeted Assassinations Continue in Gaza | IAF Strikes Launchers Used to Fire at Tiberias; Reserve Brigades Mobilized for Fighting in North | Latest FDD Analysis

Hezbollah Aerial Unit Commander Eliminated in IAF Strike in Dahieh: On Thursday, the IDF announced that Muhammad Hussein Srour, commander of Hezbollah’s aerial unit, was eliminated in an Israeli Air Force strike in Beirut. According to the IDF, Srour directed attacks on Israel, including cruise missile and drone strikes, and was in charge of manufacturing drones in southern Lebanon. He joined Hezbollah in the 1980s and served in several positions, including commander of the Aziz Unit of the elite Radwan Force and commander in the surface-to-air missile unit, and was also Hezbollah’s emissary to Yemen and the Houthi aerial command. Srour was killed in the Beirut suburb of Dahieh, a Hezbollah stronghold. According to local media, three missiles struck an apartment building next to the building where Radwan Force commander Ibrahim Aqil was killed last week. Shortly after Hezbollah confirmed Srour’s death “on the road to Jerusalem,” a missile was launched toward Israel from Yemen and was intercepted by the Arrow air defense system. Srour had reportedly returned to Lebanon this week after a visit to the Houthis in Yemen. This video shows a training session Srour gave eight years ago for the Houthis in Yemen.

IAF Strike That Killed Ibrahim Qubaisi on Tuesday Also Eliminated His Deputy: On Friday, the IDF announced that the airstrike on Tuesday that eliminated Ibrahim Qubaisi, head of Hezbollah’s missile and rocket unit, also killed his deputy, Abbas Ibrahim Sharaf Al-Din, as well as another senior commander in the unit, Hussein Hani. According to the IDF, Hani was an associate of Fuad Shukr, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s second-in-command, who was eliminated in an Israeli airstrike in late July. The IDF announcement states that in a separate strike, Fuad Shafiq Khaz’al Khanafer, a senior operative in Hezbollah’s surface-to-surface missile unit, was also eliminated. According to the announcement, the terrorists eliminated were sources of expertise for Hezbollah and led force-building efforts and terrorist activities over the years that targeted the Israeli home front.

IAF Targeted Assassinations Continue in Gaza: The IDF announced on Thursday that it is continuing targeted assassinations in Gaza. Last week, in a joint IDF-Shin Bet operation, terrorists who took part in the attacks on Gaza envelope communities on October 7 were eliminated by an Israeli Air Force drone in Rafah. The strike killed Suleiman Abu Lafi, who according to the IDF, was involved in smuggling weapons to Gaza and directed terrorist attacks in the West Bank from his Gaza base. The strike also killed his brother Abdullah Abu Lafi, a member of Palestinian Islamic Jihad. In addition, in targeted strikes by IAF fighter jets, with guidance from the Shin Bet and the 215th Artillery Regiment, a Hamas Nukhba force commander and a terrorist who took part in the October 7 attacks on Gaza envelope communities were eliminated.

IAF Strikes Launchers Used to Fire at Tiberias; Reserve Brigades Mobilized for Fighting in North: On Friday, Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck several launchers from which rockets were fired at Tiberias earlier today. The launchers were in Haddatha, in southern Lebanon. In addition, IAF fighter jets, with guidance from the Northern Command, struck launchers aimed at Israel, dozens of weapons depots, and Hezbollah military buildings in Sidon, in Nabatiyeh, and in other areas in southern Lebanon. Meanwhile, the IDF on Friday announced the mobilization of two reserve brigades, the 228th Infantry Brigade and the 6th (Etzioni) Infantry Brigade, for fighting in the north, along with several other reserve battalions.

Latest FDD Analysis:

Today at 8:30am (ET): “FDD Morning Brief,” featuring Jonathan Schanzer and Elica La Bon, FDD Event

“Failed diplomacy keeps Sinwar in control,” Mark Dubowitz and Ben Cohen, The Jerusalem Post

“Turkey should prove it is ready to embrace NATO,” Sinan Ciddi, Tyler Stapleton, and Endy Zemenides, Ekathimerini

“Israel Eliminates Head of Hezbollah Drone Unit,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Egypt Delivers Second Weapons Shipment to Somalia This Month,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Iran-backed Iraqi Militias Attack Eilat With Drones,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“U.S. Ceasefire Call Fails to Resolve Hezbollah Threat,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief