Hezbollah's Number Two Man Killed in Syria

On May 13, the Lebanese Hezbollah group confirmed that Mustafa Badreddine, one of its highest-ranking commanders, was killed in Syria. The group's affiliated television network, Al-Manar, released a statement regarding his death. Analyses and assessments have identified him as Hezbollah's operational commander in Syria. Previously, the network Al-Mayadeen in Beirut reported that he was killed 'in an Israeli airstrike' at 'his residence near the military airport in Damascus.' However, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that 'indications' suggest Israel was not involved in the death of this Hezbollah commander. Israeli media also reported Badreddine's death, citing Lebanese networks. Nevertheless, the Israeli government or military has not yet commented on the matter, as Israel rarely responds officially to such reports. Badreddine was also a key suspect in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Mustafa Badreddine was the brother-in-law of Imad Mughniyeh, who was considered one of the most important commanders of this militant group and was killed in a major explosion in Damascus at the end of 2007. The Jerusalem Post states that Badreddine was likely the second-in-command in the group after Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah. Kuwait sentenced him to death in 1984 for his involvement in planning several bombings in that country. The 'Special Tribunal for Lebanon' in The Hague had also submitted an indictment to the Lebanese Attorney General in 2011 aimed at arresting individuals related to the assassination of Rafik Hariri, in which Badreddine was listed. Hezbollah has denied involvement in the assassination of the former Prime Minister. The U.S. Treasury Department, when placing him on its sanctions blacklist, stated that he was assessed to be responsible for Hezbollah's operations in Syria since 2011. Three years ago, the 'Free Syrian Army' stated that he was the operational commander of Hezbollah militants during the battle of Qusayr in the Syrian civil war. Hezbollah has officially stated that its forces are present in battles and conflicts in Syria. No official source has yet confirmed or denied the news of Badreddine's death or the circumstances surrounding it.