Who is Fuad Shukr, senior Hezbollah military official targeted by Israel in Beirut?
The US government accuses Shukr of playing a key role in the 1983 bombing of US Marines in Lebanon, and he was a significant figure in Hezbollah's military apparatus, according to an expert.
The target of Tuesday’s Israeli strike in Beirut was senior Hezbollah official Fuad Shukr, Israeli officials said, believed to be the head of the group’s military operations and the second in command.
Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said in a statement after midnight local time that Fuad Shukr was killed in the strike. "Israel prefers to resolve the conflict with Hezbollah in diplomatic ways, but the Israeli military is fully prepared for every scenario," he said.
Hezbollah said in a statement Wednesday morning that Shukr was in the building that was hit by the Israeli strike, but initially stopped short of confirming his death. The group confirmed Shukr’s death at around 8:30 p.m. local time (1:30 p.m. EST) on Wednesday.
The Israeli military carried out a strike in the southern suburbs of Beirut on Tuesday evening local time. Lebanon’s official National News Agency reported that the strike hit close to the headquarters of Hezbollah’s Shura Council. At least 3 people were killed and 85 were injured, according to reports.
