IDF ops in Beirut bring closure for some; Hezbollah terrorists who killed Americans now dead

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Israel has to be able to defend itself against these attacks: John Kirby

White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby discusses the latest in the Israel war as ceasefire talks persist.

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JERUSALEM — Israel secured long-overdue justice for the family members of American military and diplomatic personnel murdered by Hezbollah, including the bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut.

The initial lack of alleged enthusiasm from the Biden administration and Democratic lawmakers for the targeted killings of senior Hezbollah mass murderers sparked criticism among top counter-terrorism experts. 

Take the example of Israel’s elimination on Friday of Ibrahim Aqil, who was wanted by the United States for both the bombing of the U.S. embassy, which killed 63 people, and the Marine barracks bombing in Beirut in 1983, when 241 U.S. military personnel were killed by the Iranian-backed terror group Hezbollah.

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U.S. Marines search for survivors and bodies in the rubble, all that was left of their barracks headquarters in Beirut on Oct. 24, 1983, after a terrorist suicide car bomb was driven into the building and detonated, killing 241 U.S. service members and wounding over 60. (Photo by Peter Charlesworth/LightRocket via Getty Images)

The U.S. had a $7 million bounty on Aqil’s head, who was the commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force. In July, Israel assassinated Hezbollah military Chief of Staff Fuad Shukr, who, like Aqil, was involved in the 1983 Beirut bombings. 

Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wrote on X” The families of the Marines killed in Beirut have waited decades for justice. I’m thankful Israel helped deliver it by taking out one of the world’s most vicious terrorists—Ibrahim Aqil. Let this be a message to Iran and Iran’s proxies everywhere.”

A Washington Post report cited Ryan Crocker, whose office was on the fourth floor of the embassy when the blast went off, as commenting on Aqil’s death, “It is still a source of some satisfaction that he finally got it.” Crocker went on to serve as U.S. ambassador to Syria, Iraq and several other nations. 

Max Abrahms, a leading expert on counter-terrorism and a tenured professor of political science at Northeastern University, told Fox News Digital that, “Targeted killings have been a cornerstone of U.S. counterterrorism since the 9/11 attacks. And yet, Israel killing Hezbollah terrorists with American blood on their hands has been rebuked by Democrat leaders.”

He added “The fact that even targeted killings of terrorists with American blood stained hands get rebuked unmasks the Democratic leadership, which spent the last year pretending that it objected to the Gaza campaign after 10/7 because of its negative impact on the Palestinian population. As we have seen, the Democratic leadership opposes all Israeli measures to counterterrorism, even ones perfectly executed that eliminate any civilian harm.”

Emergency workers use excavators on Saturday to clear the rubble at the site of Friday’s Israeli strike in Beirut’s southern suburbs. (AP/Bilal Hussein)

Criticism of the Biden administration’s initial lackluster response to the killing of Aqil on Friday appeared to prompt a response from U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, who called Aqil’s death “a good outcome” on Saturday.

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“That individual has American blood on his hands and has a Reward for Justice price on his head,” Sullivan said. He added “He is somebody who the United States promised long ago we would do everything we could to see brought to justice.”

White House National Security Council communications adviser John Kirby told “Fox News Sunday with Shannon Bream” that “Nobody, including Secretary Austin, is shedding a tear over the death of Mr. Aqil, who does have American blood on his hands. I think the world’s better for not having him walking around on the planet anymore. But that doesn’t mean we want to see a full out war. We don’t believe again, that that’s in the best interest of the Israeli people.”

Ibrahim Aqil was wanted by the U.S., with up to $7 million offered for information on him by the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service Rewards for Justice program. (State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service Rewards for Justice program.)

David Wurmser, a former senior adviser for nonproliferation and Middle East strategy for former Vice President Dick Cheney, told Fox News Digital that, “The success of Israel’s aims is a multi-faceted American interest. First, the demise of so many prominent Hezbollah leaders involves the death of many who are on the American wanted lists, on many of whom the United States has placed hefty bounties. Despite the bounties, however, it was clear the United States had long ago abandoned any effort to bring any of these killers of American servicemen, diplomats and intelligence officers to justice. Their wholesale demise in a matter of two or three days by Israel only further highlights the gap between the lofty rhetoric of a half century of the American foreign policy establishment and the more dishonorable reality.”

He added “That the U.S. is now taking a de-escalatory position – which creates equivalence between our democratic ally and the terrorists that have the blood of thousands of Americans on their hands, is simply disgraceful. At least now, albeit at Israel’s hands rather than ours, our sacred servicemen have been avenged.”

Wurmser noted that “In the Middle East, we are fortunate to have a powerful and loyal ally that shares our values, Israel, that is attracting a collection of other friendly states to begin to forge a local regional alliance to challenge the region’s forces of instability, foremost among them being Iran’s regime.”

Matthew Levitt, the director of the Reinhard Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence at The Washington Institute, told Fox News Digital that, “Over a short period of time, Israel recently eliminated Hezbollah terrorists who were there from the beginning and played hands on rolls and attacks against Americans in the 1980s. U.S. intelligence has been tracking these people for decades.”

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He added “But these strikes also have very current implications, given that Fuad Shukr and Ibrahim Aqil, together with Ali Karaki, have been jointly running as well as Islamic Jihad organization as a triumvirate since the death of Mustafa Badreddine in Syria several years ago. They were foot soldiers in the 1980s and rose to the highest ranks of the organization.”

Lisa Daftari, an Iranian-American expert on the Islamic Republic and editor-in-chief of the Foreign Desk, told Fox News Digital that, “In eliminating Ibrahim Aqil, Israel has once again demonstrated its unwavering commitment to combating global terrorism—a fight that serves the interests of all nations dedicated to opposing radical extremism.”

Ibrahim Aqil, another top Hezbollah terror chief, was killed in the airstrike alongside Ahmed Wahbi. (Hezbollah Military Media vía AP)

She added, “The Biden administration should openly commend Israel’s efforts and provide robust support, rather than calling for restraint. It’s crucial to recognize that if groups like Hezbollah and Hamas cease their hostilities, we may achieve peace. But if Israel halts its operations now, it will continue to endure relentless terrorism, similar to the attacks witnessed on October 7. Our collective security hinges on Israel’s resolve to dismantle these threats.”

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Retired Marine Corps Sergeant Major Steve Aitken, who was stationed on a boat offshore as the injured were transferred to ships for medical treatment following the terrorist attack, told the Washington Post that Aqil’s death was “God’s judgment,” adding, “You might get away, but you’re not going to get by … Our memory is long. Israel’s is even longer.”

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., also stressed the significance of Israel’s assassination of Aqil writing on X, “Ibrahim Aqil was a vicious terrorist mastermind who helped murder hundreds of Americans. On behalf of the families of the Marines killed in the Beirut bombings—and on behalf of all Americans—I’m grateful justice has finally been served to this killer.”

Aqil also oversaw Hezbollah’s operations in Syria, where he enabled Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad to wipe out hundreds of thousands of his own Arab citizens. 

Benjamin Weinthal reports on Israel, Iran, Syria, Turkey and Europe. You can follow Benjamin on Twitter @BenWeinthal, and email him at benjamin.weinthal@fox.com