Wissam al-Tawil
Native name
وسام الطويل
Born1970
Tyre, Lebanon
Died8 January 2024(2024-01-08) (aged 53–54)
Majdel Selm, Lebanon
Allegiance Hezbollah
Service/branchRedwan Force
Years of service1989–2024
Battles/wars

Wissam al-Tawil (Arabic: وسام الطويل;‎ 1970 – 8 January 2024), also known as Wissam Tawil or Jawad al-Tawil (Arabic: جواد الطويل),[1] was a Lebanese militant and senior commander of Hezbollah's Radwan Force. He was killed in Majdel Selm, Lebanon, by an Israeli airstrike amid the ongoing Israel–Hezbollah conflict.[2]

Military career

Born in 1970,[3] al-Tawil joined Hezbollah in 1989 and actively engaged in numerous attacks against Israeli forces and their Lebanese allies during the South Lebanon conflict.[4] He took part in the 2006 Hezbollah cross-border raid that led to the capture of two Israeli soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser. Throughout the Syrian civil war, al-Tawil played a key role in supporting the Syrian government led by Bashar al-Assad.[5] He also participated in the Houthi takeover in Yemen, facilitating the transfer of long-range missiles to the movement.[6][7]

At the time of his death, he held the position of deputy commander within Hezbollah's elite Radwan Unit.[2] According to Israel, he was responsible for the strike on Israel's air force base in Mount Meron, which occurred two days before his assassination.[8]

Death

On 8 January 2024, al-Tawil was killed by an Israeli airstrike against a vehicle in the village of Majdel Selm in Lebanon. Another person was also killed in the airstrike. According to a security official, his killing was a "painful blow" to Hezbollah.[2] As of 8 January, he is the highest ranking Hezbollah official killed during the 2023 Israel–Hezbollah conflict.[9] According to some Arab media outlets, he was reportedly the brother-in-law of Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of Hezbollah.[10]

In response to al-Tawil's killing, Hezbollah launched a drone attack on Israel's Northern Command headquarters in Safed on the following day, situated approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) from the border.[11]

References

  1. ↑ "Israeli strike kills top Hezbollah commander in Lebanon". Middle East Eye. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 "Israeli strike on Lebanon kills senior commander in elite Hezbollah unit". Reuters. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  3. ↑ "بعد استشهاده في قصف إسرائيلي.. من هو وسام الطويل القائد الميداني بحزب الله؟" [After his martyrdom in an Israeli bombing... Who is Wissam Al-Tawil, Hezbollah's field commander?] (in Arabic). elaosboa. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  4. ↑ "صهر زعيم حزب الله.. تفصيل مفاجئ عن وسام الطويل؟!" [Hezbollah leader's son-in-law...a surprising detail about Wissam Al-Taweel] (in Arabic). Al Arabiya. 9 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  5. ↑ Mroue, Bassem (8 January 2024). "Slain Hezbollah commander fought in some of the group's biggest battles, had close ties to leaders". ABC News. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  6. ↑ ""نسيب نصر الله ومرافق لسليماني": من هو وسام الطويل القيادي البارز بحزب الله الذي اغتيل جنوب لبنان؟" ["Nasrallah's brother-in-law and Soleimani's companion": Who is Wissam al-Taweel, the prominent Hezbollah leader who was assassinated in southern Lebanon?] (in Arabic). i24 News. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  7. ↑ "تراند اليوم : كان مقربا من الهالك قاسم سليماني.. أنور مالك يعلق على مقتل القيادي في حزب الله ‎وسام الطويل" [Today's Trend: He was close to the perished Qassem Soleimani.. Anwar Malek comments on the killing of Hezbollah leader Wissam Al-Taweel] (in Arabic). Gulf365. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  8. ↑ "Hezbollah says Israel kills top commander amid fears of Gaza war escalation". Al Jazeera. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  9. ↑ "حزب الله يعلن استشهاد أرفع قيادي بصفوفه منذ بدء الحرب مع الاحتلال ...الشرق الأوسط" [Hezbollah announces the martyrdom of its highest-ranking leader since the start of the war with the occupation... The Middle East] (in Arabic). pressbee. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  10. ↑ "Hezbollah senior commander killed in targeted strike; Netanyahu warns terror group is 'making mistake'". All Israel News. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  11. ↑ "Hezbollah launches drone attack on Israel in response to top commander's killing". Middle East Monitor. 9 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
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