On Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces explained four motives for eliminating Fuad Shukr, the Hezbollah commander behind a drone strike that resulted in the deaths of 12 children and teenagers in northern Israel over the weekend.
At the time of his death in an IDF operation in southern Beirut on Tuesday, Shukr was a senior adviser to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The IDF stated that its airstrikes “eliminated the highest-ranking military commander of the Hezbollah terrorist organization [Shukr]” in the capital of Lebanon.
Here’s what the Israeli military claims led to the decision to target Shukr:
Shukr was Nasrallah’s key associate
The IDF stated that Shukr, who became involved with Hezbollah in 1985, ascended through the ranks to become a close aide to Hassan Nasrallah.
The IDF has “eliminated” senior commander Fuad Shukr following a targeted strike in Beirut. (IDF Spokesman Unit)
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“He has orchestrated Hezbollah terrorist activities for three decades and bears responsibility for the deaths of Israeli, American, French, and other civilians,” the IDF claimed on Wednesday.
The Israeli military noted that within Hezbollah, Shukr held the position of “senior advisor for strategic affairs and wartime operations.”
Shukr has been attacking Israelis with rocket and drone strikes
The IDF contends that in the past ten months, since the commencement of the Israel-Hamas conflict on October 7, 2023, Shukr has been “orchestrating rocket and UAV attacks” against Israeli targets.
The assaults, according to the IDF, have compelled “60,000 civilians in northern Israel to evacuate their residences.”
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A worker clears debris from a building struck by an Israeli airstrike on Tuesday evening in a southern Beirut suburb. (AP/Hussein Malla)
The Israeli military has frequently clashed along its northern border with Lebanon.
Shukr was connected to the Majdal Shams ‘massacre’
The IDF alleges that Shukr was responsible for orchestrating the recent deadly Hezbollah rocket strike in the northern village of Majdal Shams.
The aftermath on Sunday revealed scenes of mourning as the residents of the predominantly Druze community buried the young victims—at least 12 killed and around 29 wounded—many of whom were playing soccer when the attack occurred.
Shukr was ‘instrumental in advancing precision-guided missile technology’
The IDF asserts that Shukr played a crucial role in the development of precision-guided missiles.
Hezbollah supporters view a speech delivered by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Dahiyeh, southern Beirut, on June 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
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“These missiles have the capacity to endanger the lives of millions of Israeli civilians,” the IDF added.
Contributions to this report were made by Fox News’ Andrea Vacchiano, Benjamin Weinthal, and The Associated Press.
