Israel killed senior Hezbollah military commander Ali Musa Daqduq in an airstrike south of the Litani River in southern Lebanon between June 12 and 14, 2026, military sources confirmed [1, 2]. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) described Daqduq as a key Hezbollah figure holding multiple senior roles, including commander of the Golan network responsible for the group’s presence in Syria [1, 2]. The IDF said he played a central role in advancing terrorist attacks and combat operations against Israel and Israeli Defense Forces soldiers, adding that "his elimination constitutes another significant blow to Hezbollah’s senior chain of command." [2]
Daqduq was accused by Israel of orchestrating the 2007 kidnapping and murder of five American soldiers in Iraq, a charge tied to his activities during that period [2]. He was captured by U.S. forces in Iraq in 2007 but was transferred to Iraqi custody in 2011 as the U.S. withdrew. Iraqi courts dismissed the charges against him and released him in 2012 [2].
Since Hezbollah launched a cross-border attack against Israel on March 2, 2026, the IDF has conducted a bombing campaign in southern Lebanon. Lebanese officials report nearly 3,800 people killed, over 11,700 wounded, and more than 1.5 million displaced by the campaign [1].
There was no immediate response from Hezbollah regarding the killing of Daqduq [1].
The killing of Daqduq follows sustained Israeli military operations targeting senior Hezbollah operatives in southern Lebanon amid ongoing hostilities that have sharply escalated over the past six months [1, 2].
