New Delhi: Senior Hezbollah commander Sheikh Muhammad Ali Hammadi, who was on the FBI’s most-wanted list, was shot dead in front of his house in eastern Lebanon on Tuesday night.
Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported that Hammadi, who served as commander of Hezbollah’s western al-Baqaa region, was gunned down by unidentified assailants who arrived in two vehicles.
Hammadi was rushed to the hospital, but succumbed to his injuries sometime later.
No group has claimed responsibility for the assassination yet, hence the motivation is not clear.
Local reports suggested a possible connection to a family feud.
Hammadi got into FBI’s list for his involvement in the 1985 hijacking of Lufthansa flight 847, during which 153 passengers were held hostage, and an American national was killed. He has remained a fugitive for decades thereafter.
Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and paramilitary group, has faced significant setbacks since the 2023 war with Israel, losing at least seven top commanders. Hezbollah’s supply chains, including communication equipment in Syria and Israel, have also been targeted by Israel.
