Top Hezbollah commander Sheikh Hammadi shot dead outside his home in Lebanon | World News

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, reports Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar. The report says Hammadi, who served as the commander of Hezbollah’s western al-Baqaa region, was gunned down by attackers arriving in two vehicles.

Despite being rushed to the hospital, Hammadi was pronounced dead shortly after the attack.

The motive behind Hammadi’s killing remains unclear. While local reports have speculated that the murder may have stemmed from a longstanding family feud, no official statement has confirmed this theory. No group or individual has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

Hammadi, who had been a fugitive on the FBI’s most-wanted list for decades, was notorious for his involvement in a high-profile terrorist attack. In 1985, he hijacked a West German airliner, Lufthansa Flight 847, which was carrying 153 passengers, including several Americans. During the hijacking, an American national was tortured and killed. Hammadi’s involvement in this and other acts of violence against Western targets earned him a prominent spot on the US law enforcement agency’s list of wanted criminals.

Middle East on the edge

The killing of Hammadi comes amid a turbulent period for Hezbollah, which has been locked in conflict with Israel. The group was involved in the 2023 war with Israel, alongside Hamas, which saw the death of at least seven top Hezbollah commanders. Tensions escalated when Israel launched attacks that targeted Hezbollah’s supply chain, including detonating communication equipment across Syria and Israel.

This latest attack on a senior Hezbollah leader comes as the region continues to grapple with ongoing violence, including a major Israeli military operation in the West Bank. Israeli authorities reported at least nine Palestinians dead in a raid on the city of Jenin, with dozens more wounded. This military action occurred amid a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah-backed groups in southern Lebanon.

Despite 15 months of war with Israel, Hamas remains firmly in control of Gaza. Many Palestinians in Gaza are now left picking through the rubble of their former homes amid a landscape of devastation.