The Israeli military considers the force a major threat to its northern border and has portrayed Aqeel, whom it claimed to have killed on Friday, as its de facto commander.

Ali Reda Abbas was appointed commander of Hezbollah's Radwan unit following an Israeli airstrike that killed former commander Ibrahim Aqil and 16 other key leaders.

Last Friday, Israeli forces carried out a heavy airstrike on a southern suburb of Beirut. The target was a residential building where the commander of the elite Radwan unit, Hajji Ibrahim Aqil, was staying. Aqil, also known as Hajj Abdul-Qader, was a central figure within Hezbollah whose life was always shrouded in mystery due to his high position.