Hezbollah has confirmed that Ali Karki, a senior military commander, was killed alongside the group’s leader Hassan Nasrallah in Friday’s massive Israeli airstrike on southern Beirut.
Karki, who had been commanding Hezbollah’s southern front forces for the past year, was a veteran of previous conflicts with Israel in 2000 and 2006, according to a statement from the militant group.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released additional information on Sunday, claiming that more than 20 Hezbollah members “of varying ranks, who were present at the underground headquarters in Beirut” were killed in the strike. Among those named were Ibrahim Hussein Jazini, head of Nasrallah’s security unit, and Samir Tawfiq Dib, a long-time adviser to Nasrallah. The IDF described both as “among Nasrallah’s closest associates.”
The Israeli military also reported the death of Ali Naaf Ayoub, who was responsible for coordinating Hezbollah’s firepower.
“This strike has significantly impacted Hezbollah’s leadership structure,” an IDF spokesperson said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the operation.
Hezbollah has not commented on the additional casualties claimed by Israel beyond confirming the deaths of Nasrallah and Karki.
