Beirut, Sep 25 (V7N)  – Ibrahim Qubaisi, Hezbollah's missile chief, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut on Tuesday afternoon, according to reports from NDTV and the Times of Israel. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed his death, highlighting Qubaisi's central role in Hezbollah's missile operations, which have posed an increasing threat to Israel.

The airstrike targeted the Ghobeiri area of Beirut, where Qubaisi, a long-serving commander of Hezbollah’s rocket and missile forces, was based. The IDF stated that the strike also killed at least two other senior Hezbollah commanders involved in the group's missile campaign.

Hezbollah acknowledged Qubaisi's death in a statement, referring to him as a martyr. Having joined the group in the 1980s, Qubaisi had been a key figure in Hezbollah’s military strategy against Israel, particularly in developing its precision-guided missile program. His military career spanned several decades, and he was closely associated with senior Hezbollah leaders.

Qubaisi played a prominent role in Hezbollah’s 2000 Mount Dove operation, which involved the kidnapping of three Israeli soldiers. Their bodies were later returned in a 2004 prisoner exchange, solidifying Qubaisi's status within Hezbollah’s military ranks.

The airstrike comes amidst escalating tensions between Hezbollah and Israel, with ongoing exchanges of rocket fire and airstrikes along the Israeli-Lebanese border. The death of Qubaisi is expected to further inflame hostilities in the region.

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