The IDF and Shin Bet confirmed Friday that Qassem Salah al-Husseini, a key operative for Iran’s Quds Force, was killed in an Israeli airstrike near Beirut on Thursday.
In a joint statement, the military and intelligence agency said al-Husseini had been promoting terror operations along Israel’s northern front on behalf of the Iranian Quds Force.
Footage from the Lebanon hit
"His elimination is a blow to the weapons acquisition capabilities of various terror groups operating along the northern front and in the West Bank, whose goal is to harm Israeli civilians and IDF forces," the joint statement read. "The IDF and Shin Bet will continue to act against any threat to the security of Israel’s citizens."
The strike, carried out by an Israeli Air Force aircraft, was based on precise intelligence provided by Shin Bet, Northern Command, and IDF intelligence. It took place in the area of Kfar Sil, south of Beirut.
Following the strike, Saudi outlet Al-Hadath reported that the vehicle carrying al-Husseini was hit by two missiles, one of which struck the target directly. Simultaneously, Lebanese media reported “a series of strikes” in the southern villages of Deir Siryan and Zotar.
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The IDF confirmed that its warplanes struck Hezbollah military sites and weapons depots in southern Lebanon, stating that the group’s weapons and military activity in the area constitute a “blatant violation” of the understanding between Israel and Lebanon.
The Quds Force is the external operations branch of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). It is responsible for building and maintaining Iranian proxy forces across the Middle East and beyond. Over the years, it has supported Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Iranian-backed militias in Syria and Iraq—together forming what Israeli defense officials call a “ring of fire” around the country. The Quds Force is also behind multiple terror plots abroad, including attacks targeting Israeli civilians.