The Israeli army announced Sunday that it had killed Ali Mussa Daqduq, one of Hezbollah’s most experienced and wanted operatives, during a targeted strike in southern Lebanon. According to the IDF, the operation targeted a historical leader of the Lebanese Shia movement, considered by Washington and Israel to be one of the architects of several major military operations over the last two decades.
The announcement is of particular importance due to Daqduq’s profile. Accused by the United States of playing a central role in the Karbala attack in January 2007, which claimed the lives of five American soldiers in Iraq, he had become over the years one of the best-known figures of cooperation between Hezbollah, Iraqi Shia militias, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.
According to information released by the Israeli army, Daqduq held several strategic positions within Hezbollah. Notably, he reportedly provided personal security for the former Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, led operational units, and played a major role in developing the movement’s military infrastructure in Syria and along the Israeli border.
However, this announcement comes in a specific context. Back in November 2024, several sources had claimed that Daqduq had been killed in an Israeli strike in Syria. Yet, he subsequently reappeared, proving that the initial reports were erroneous or premature. This previous confusion explains the caution of many observers regarding the current announcement.
At this stage, Hezbollah has not officially confirmed the death of its leader. The available information comes essentially from the Israeli army and media outlets relaying the Israeli version of the facts. The absence of independent confirmation therefore counsels caution, even though several sources converge toward the hypothesis that Daqduq was indeed among the targets aimed at during the strike.
Beyond the man himself, it is above all the symbolic significance that draws attention. Daqduq belonged to the founding generation of Hezbollah’s military cadres. Present in the organization since the 1980s, he had participated in the movement’s evolution as it transformed from a local guerrilla force into a regional actor involved in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. His trajectory also illustrates the close ties woven over the decades between Hezbollah and pro-Iranian networks in the Middle East.
If his death is confirmed, it would constitute a new setback for Hezbollah, which is already weakened by the losses suffered in recent months. Indeed, Israel is pursuing a strategy aimed at progressively decapitating the Shia movement’s chain of command by targeting its most experienced military leaders.
It now remains to be seen whether Hezbollah will officially acknowledge Daqduq’s demise and, above all, what its response will be. In a Middle East already deeply destabilized by tensions between Israel, Iran, and their respective allies, every high-level elimination carries with it the risk of a new regional escalation.
