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Ibrahim Aqil (Arabic: ابراهيم عقيل), also known as Al-Hajj Tahsin or by his alias Al-Hajj Abdul Khader, is a Lebanese military figure and senior official in Hezbollah. He is a member of the Jihad Council, which oversees the military and security operations of the organization. Aqil serves as the head of operations and is considered by some as the de facto Chief of Staff of Hezbollah.

Biography

In the 1980s, Aqil was a key figure in the Islamic Jihad Organization, Hezbollah. The organization carried out the bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut on April 18, 1983, killing 63 people, and the attacks on the multinational force bases in Beirut that resulted in the deaths of 305 people. During the 1980s, Aqil was responsible for the kidnapping of American and German hostages.

On February 4, 2000, during the South Lebanon conflict, Apache helicopters fired Hellfire missiles at Aqil’s car in the village of Barish, where he was serving as Hezbollah's commander of the South Lebanon sector (or the western sector in South Lebanon). The first missile struck the rear of the car and threw him out. He escaped and hid behind a building. The second missile destroyed the car. After being spotted hiding, another missile was fired at him and hit the wall. Aqil was lightly injured and managed to escape the incident.

In the summer of 2006, during the Second Lebanon War, Aqil was responsible for coordinating intelligence between Hezbollah and the Syrian army.

In September 2006, while serving as the head of Hezbollah's security and intelligence services, the *Intelligence Online* reported that Aqil was one of three Hezbollah operatives, along with Hassan Nasrallah and Mustafa Badreddine, who visited North Korea for several months during the 1980s and early 1990s for training.

On July 21, 2015, the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated Aqil as closely tied to Hezbollah's leadership and acting on its behalf, along with other senior figures in the organization—Mustafa Badreddine, Fuad Shukr, and Abd al-Nur Shalaan. He was identified as playing a key role in Hezbollah's military campaign in Syria by assisting the organization's fighters and pro-Syrian regime forces against Syrian opposition forces in battles across Syria. Aqil has also been sought through several 'Red Notices' by Interpol, documenting his long history with the organization, including involvement in the kidnapping and holding of two German citizens as hostages in the late 1980s and the bombing campaign in Paris in 1986.

In May 2016, following the assassination of Mustafa Badreddine, Aqil was one of two candidates (alongside Fuad Shukr) considered to succeed him as Hezbollah's Chief of Staff. Some consider him the de facto Chief of Staff of Hezbollah (though others have identified Fuad Shukr in this role).

On September 10, 2019, the U.S. Department of State designated him as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. On April 18, 2023, the Rewards for Justice program offered a reward of up to $7 million for information about him.

Aqil currently serves as the head of Hezbollah's operations and is responsible for the Radwan Force, among other things, in the Sword of Iron war. He also leads Hezbollah’s tunnel project in Lebanon.

References

1. "Ibrahim Aqil – Rewards For Justice". Retrieved 2024-09-20.
2. "EXCLUSIVE: Iran orders Hezbollah to target Saudi Arabia". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
3. אדלסון, דניאל; יורק, ניו; אייכנר, איתמר (2023-04-18). "סוחר האמנות שמממן את חיזבאללה, ופרס המיליונים על ראשו של רב המחבלים". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-09-20.
4. "למרות המתיחות בצפון: 12 אלף מבקרים בסוף השבוע בחרמון - וואלה חדשות". וואלה (in Hebrew). 2000-02-04. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
5. ^ "שקט מדומה: כך צמח ארגון הטרור הרצחני בצפון". mako. 2024-02-29. Retrieved 2024-09-20.

• Hezbollah
• Lebanese Islamists
• Lebanese Shia Muslims