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| Leading Hezbollah commander killed 'by Israeli military' | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A leading commander of the Lebanese militia Hezbollah has been killed, reportedly by the Israeli military, in a serious blow to the group. | |
| Hezbollah confirmed in a statement that Mustafa Badreddine, 55, who was believed to have been the second most powerful figure in the organisation, had been killed in an Israeli air strike. | |
| “He took part in most of the operations of the Islamic resistance since 1982,” Hezbollah said in a statement, describing Badreddine as “the great jihadi leader”. | “He took part in most of the operations of the Islamic resistance since 1982,” Hezbollah said in a statement, describing Badreddine as “the great jihadi leader”. |
| He was killed on Tuesday night, the statement said. | He was killed on Tuesday night, the statement said. |
| Reports were conflicting about the location of the airstrike, with Lebanese TV station Al-Mayadeen saying it took place near Damascus airport in Syria where Hezbollah has been fighting on the side of the Assad regime. Others placed it on the Lebanon-Israel or Lebanon-Syria border. | Reports were conflicting about the location of the airstrike, with Lebanese TV station Al-Mayadeen saying it took place near Damascus airport in Syria where Hezbollah has been fighting on the side of the Assad regime. Others placed it on the Lebanon-Israel or Lebanon-Syria border. |
| Badreddine, who is sanctioned by the United States, was a brother-in-law of the late Hezbollah military commander Imad Moughniyah. He was tried in absentia by a UN-backed special tribunal for the 2005 killing of statesman Rafik al-Hariri. | Badreddine, who is sanctioned by the United States, was a brother-in-law of the late Hezbollah military commander Imad Moughniyah. He was tried in absentia by a UN-backed special tribunal for the 2005 killing of statesman Rafik al-Hariri. |
| Badreddine was sentenced to death in Kuwait for his role in bomb attacks there in 1983. He escaped from prison in Kuwait after the country was invaded by Iraq under the leadership of Saddam Hussein in 1990. | Badreddine was sentenced to death in Kuwait for his role in bomb attacks there in 1983. He escaped from prison in Kuwait after the country was invaded by Iraq under the leadership of Saddam Hussein in 1990. |
| For years, Badreddine masterminded military operations against Israel from Lebanon and overseas and managed to escape capture by Arab and western governments by operating clandestinely. | For years, Badreddine masterminded military operations against Israel from Lebanon and overseas and managed to escape capture by Arab and western governments by operating clandestinely. |
| A US treasury department statement detailing sanctions against Badreddine in 2015 said he was assessed to be responsible for the group’s military operations in Syria since 2011. | A US treasury department statement detailing sanctions against Badreddine in 2015 said he was assessed to be responsible for the group’s military operations in Syria since 2011. |
| Related: 'Nobody wants to stay in Lebanon. It’s a miserable life' | Related: 'Nobody wants to stay in Lebanon. It’s a miserable life' |
| Hezbollah has held sway in Lebanon for decades and has been a constant opponent for Israel. | Hezbollah has held sway in Lebanon for decades and has been a constant opponent for Israel. |
| The militant group intervened in the Syrian civil war alongside Assad – another ally of Iran – saving his regime from collapse and prolonging the conflict. | The militant group intervened in the Syrian civil war alongside Assad – another ally of Iran – saving his regime from collapse and prolonging the conflict. |