Eurasia Press & News
In a series of intensified airstrikes over October and November, Israel has targeted and killed key Hezbollah leaders operating in Syria, +963 media writes.
In a series of intensified airstrikes over October and November, Israel has targeted and killed key Hezbollah leaders operating in Syria, marking a strategic escalation in its efforts to dismantle the group’s leadership and operational networks. Among those killed are Ali Musa Daqduq, Hezbollah’s chief of Golan operations, and Salim Ayyash, convicted for his role in the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Other high-profile targets included Mahmoud Shahin, Hezbollah’s intelligence head in Syria, and Abu Salah, responsible for overseeing financial operations. These assassinations reflect Israel’s focus on disrupting Hezbollah’s intelligence, military, and financial infrastructures, with a specific emphasis on figures close to Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
Ali Musa Daqduq – Hezbollah’s Golan Operations Chief
In a targeted strike on November 10, 2024, Israeli forces reportedly killed Ali Musa Daqduq, a Hezbollah official managing operations in the Golan region, in Damascus’s Sayyida Zeinab area. Daqduq, accused by the United States of masterminding a 2007 attack on American soldiers in Iraq, was closely tied to the Hezbollah leadership, holding roles in both special operations and intelligence gathering. His presence in Syria, allegedly to build an intelligence network in the Golan Heights, underscores Hezbollah’s ongoing interest in Israel’s border activities.
Salim Ayyash – Convicted Hariri Assassin
Israeli drone strikes on the Qusair border area between Lebanon and Syria also reportedly killed Salim Ayyash, a senior Hezbollah operative sentenced in absentia for the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Convicted of orchestrating the bombing, which killed 21 people, Ayyash was wanted internationally, with the U.S. offering a $10 million reward for information leading to his arrest. His assassination highlights Israel’s efforts to neutralize Hezbollah figures linked to high-profile acts of violence.
Mahmoud Shahin – Head of Hezbollah’s Intelligence Network in Syria
On November 4, Israeli forces reportedly eliminated Mahmoud Muhammad Shahin, a high-ranking Hezbollah intelligence official in Syria. According to Israeli army spokesperson Avichai Adraee, Shahin coordinated closely with Iranian allies and spearheaded Hezbollah’s intelligence and air defense capabilities. His assassination deals a significant blow to Hezbollah’s operational structure in Syria, diminishing its intelligence gathering and strategic planning efforts.
Financial Operations Disrupted with Abu Salah
In a precision strike on October 22 in Damascus, Israeli forces killed Abu Salah, head of Hezbollah’s Unit 4400, responsible for overseeing financial transfers derived from Iranian oil sales. This unit plays a critical role in funding Hezbollah’s operations, and the assassination of Abu Salah, along with two other operatives, directly impacts the group’s financial networks.
Golan File Operations Under Attack
On October 10, an Israeli airstrike in Quneitra killed Adham Jahut, a Hezbollah operative managing intelligence and operational logistics in the Golan Heights. Jahut’s role in transferring intelligence to Hezbollah underscores Israel’s focus on dismantling Hezbollah’s infrastructure near the border, which poses a direct threat to Israeli security.
Nasrallah’s Inner Circle Targeted
In a raid on October 3 in the Mezzeh district, Israeli forces targeted Hassan Jaafar Qasir, brother-in-law of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The raid followed the assassination of Muhammad Jaafar Qasir, Hassan’s brother, a Hezbollah official managing weapons transfers from Iran. These targeted eliminations indicate Israel’s strategy of pressuring Hezbollah’s leadership by directly targeting members of Nasrallah’s inner circle.
