Hezbollah Commander Shiekh Muhammad Ali Hammadi, a fugitive on the FBI’s most-wanted list was assassinated in front of his house in Machghara, Western Bekaa District in eastern Lebanon on Tuesday night.
The Hezbollah commander was shot six times in a drive-by shooting outside of his house. The Assassins were driving two separate cars and fled the killing ground after accomplishing their goal. He was taken to a nearby hospital soon after the attack where he was proclaimed dead shortly later.
Investigations have been started by the security agencies to determine the circumstances. It is speculated that the assassination was not political in nature but can be associated with a family feud. No individual or group claimed responsibility for the attack.
He was involved in numerous criminal offences including the torture and murder of an American national during the hijack of a West German airliner, Lufthansa Flight in 1985, carrying 153 passengers. Hammadi’s involvement in this hijack along with other acts of violence against Western targets led him to the the FBI’s most-wanted list.
According to Pakistani intelligence, Hammadi was reportedly killed in a strike in Pakistan. However, due to a lack of confirmation of his death, the FBI kept him on their list.
The assassination of the Hezbollah commander comes after the turbulent period of the paramilitary group following its friction with Israel. The initial 60-day ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah is soon to end.
As per the agreement, Israel has to withdraw from southern Lebanon until January 26 while Hezbollah has to retreat north of the Litani River, 30 kilometers (18 miles) away from the border with Israel leaving the area between the border and Litani under control of Lebanese Armed Forces and United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
However, the deadline according to Israel is expected to be put forward due to the failure of the Lebanese military in deploying throughout the region.
