Follow Steve Postal: @HebraicMosaic

———-

As Israel approaches ten months fighting a war of survival, it has revived its tactic of targeted assassinations to remove terrorists from the battlefield. These assassinations demonstrate Israel’s “long-arm” abilities to strike its enemies in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and even Iran. Since October 7, Israel has neutralized numerous Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) high profile, arch-terrorists, including the following:

Ismail Haniyeh, leader of Hamas, was allegedly killed by Israel in Tehran, Iran on July 31. While the New York Times claims that the method of attack was a bomb that had been smuggled into his guesthouse months before, the IRGC asserted that he was assassinated via “short-range projectile,” while Hamas stated the cause of death was a “treacherous Zionist raid on his residence.” Haniyeh infamously prostrated himself after hearing about the October 7 attack, called on Palestinians from the Arab world to wage jihad against Israel, and specifically called for the “blood of the women, children and elderly” of Palestinians to be martyred against Israel. Liberal journalists and commentators in the Arab world praised Haniyeh’s demise.

Fuad Shukr, rumored to be Hezbollah’s second-highest ranking leader, was killed by Israel in Beirut, Lebanon on July 30. According to Israeli intelligence, he was the architect of the Majdal Shams attack that killed 12 Israeli Druze children on a soccer field, and played an integral role in bringing Iranian missile guidance technology to Hezbollah’s weapons stockpiles. He was also involved in the 1983 Beirut bombing of US and French peacekeeping forces.

On July 13, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) assassinated both Mohammad Deif and Rafa’a Salameh on an attack on Salameh’s property in Khan Yunis, Gaza. Deif’s assassination was confirmed by the IDF on August 1. Deif was the leader of Hamas’ military wing, the Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, and the second in command of Hamas in Gaza after Yahya Sinwar. Deif had been responsible for training Hamas fighters on how to invade Israel. He had evaded at least seven Israeli attempts since 2001 to assassinate him. Salameh was the commander of Hamas’s Khan Younis Brigade. Salameh’s death was the third Hamas brigade commander killed by the IDF, with the remaining two still alive. Salameh was attempting to re-build the missile capabilities of the Khan Younis Brigade, and he was close to both Deif and Yahya Sinwar. He also played key roles in the October 7 massacre, as well as the kidnapping of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.

On July 3, the IAF killed Mohammed Nehme Nasser near Tyre, Lebanon. Nasser was the leader of Hezbollah’s Aziz Unit, which is one of three of Hezbollah’s southern Lebanon regional divisions.

On June 17, the IAF assassinated Muhammad Mustafa Ayoub near Selaa, Lebanon. Ayoud was the commander of Hezbollah’s Nasr unit’s rocket and missile division.

On June 11, the IAF assassinated Taleb Abdullah, the commander of Hezbollah’s Nasr unit in Jwaya, Lebanon.

On June 3, the IAF assassinated Saeed Abiyar near Aleppo, Syria. Abiyar was an adviser to the IRGC.

On April 9, Mohammad Srour was allegedly killed by the Mossad in his home in Beit Meiri, Lebanon. He allegedly had transferred tens of millions of dollars every year from Iran’s IRGC to Hamas’ military wing, and also had ties to Hezbollah.

On April 1, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi was killed by the IAF in Damascus, Syria, in a building next to the Iranian embassy. Zahedi was a senior commander of the IRGC’s Quds Force in Lebanon and Syria, and likely coordinated the relationship between Iran, Syria and Hezbollah. The IAF also allegedly killed Brig-Gen Mohammad Hadi Haji-Rahimi in that same attack. The IRGC described both as “senior military advisors.”

On March 10, the IAF assassinated Marwan Issa in central Gaza. Issa was the deputy commander of Hamas’ military wing, and was Hamas’ third in command in Gaza, after Mohammad Deif and Yahya Sinwar. That IAF strike also killed Ghazi Abu Tama’a, another senior Hamas commander, who managed Hamas’ weapons in Gaza.

On January 20, the IAF assassinated Sadegh Omidzadeh in Damascus, Syria. Omidzadeh was the head of the IRGC’s Quds Force’s intelligence unit in Syria, in addition to four other IGRC officers.

On January 8-9, the IAF assassinated Wissam al-Tawil (senior commander of Hezbollah’s elite Redwan Force) and Ali Hussein Barji (commander of Hezbollah’s aerial forces in southern Lebanon), in two separate hits in Lebanon.

On December 25, the IAF assassinated Razi Mousavi, a commander of the IRGC’s Quds Force, near Damascus, Syria.

Additionally, in October 2023, during Operation Swords of Iron, the IDF killed Ibrahim Biari, Billal Al Kedra,Murad Abu Murad and Ali Qadhi in the Gaza Strip. All four were Hamas commanders who either led or planned the October 7 massacre against Israel.