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| Hezbollah Military Leader Is Assassinated Near Beirut | |
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| BEIRUT, Lebanon — A Hezbollah military leader was assassinated on Wednesday in front of his home south of Beirut, the Lebanese militant organization said, in what was feared to be an escalation of reprisals over its alliance with the government of neighboring Syria in that country’s brutal civil war. | BEIRUT, Lebanon — A Hezbollah military leader was assassinated on Wednesday in front of his home south of Beirut, the Lebanese militant organization said, in what was feared to be an escalation of reprisals over its alliance with the government of neighboring Syria in that country’s brutal civil war. |
| The killing of the military leader, Hassane Laqees, came a day after Hezbollah’s top leader, Hassan Nasrallah, accused Saudi Arabia of responsibility for a deadly bombing in Beirut last month that targeted the embassy of Iran, Saudi Arabia’s regional rival and the military and political benefactor of both Hezbollah and the Syrian government. | The killing of the military leader, Hassane Laqees, came a day after Hezbollah’s top leader, Hassan Nasrallah, accused Saudi Arabia of responsibility for a deadly bombing in Beirut last month that targeted the embassy of Iran, Saudi Arabia’s regional rival and the military and political benefactor of both Hezbollah and the Syrian government. |
| Hezbollah, which announced the assassination of Mr. Laqees in a statement, did not elaborate on the circumstances. Lebanese news reports said he was gunned down in a parking lot near an apartment where he stayed or worked, which is near but not inside the security zone that Hezbollah maintains around its headquarters in southern Beirut. | Hezbollah, which announced the assassination of Mr. Laqees in a statement, did not elaborate on the circumstances. Lebanese news reports said he was gunned down in a parking lot near an apartment where he stayed or worked, which is near but not inside the security zone that Hezbollah maintains around its headquarters in southern Beirut. |
| Hezbollah accused “the Israeli enemy” of targeting him and said Israel would have to “bear all the responsibility and ramifications of this vile crime.” Israeli officials denied involvement. | Hezbollah accused “the Israeli enemy” of targeting him and said Israel would have to “bear all the responsibility and ramifications of this vile crime.” Israeli officials denied involvement. |
| At the same time, memorial images circulated on social media showing him against a backdrop of the Sayida Zeinab shrine near Damascus, in Syria, framing his death as part of the conflict there. And a previously unknown group calling itself the Free Sunnis of Baalbek, a town in the Bekaa Valley where Hezbollah support is strong, claimed responsibility for the killing. | At the same time, memorial images circulated on social media showing him against a backdrop of the Sayida Zeinab shrine near Damascus, in Syria, framing his death as part of the conflict there. And a previously unknown group calling itself the Free Sunnis of Baalbek, a town in the Bekaa Valley where Hezbollah support is strong, claimed responsibility for the killing. |
| Hezbollah, a Shiite organization and historically close ally of Iran and of Syria’s government, has sent fighters to defend the shrine and to aid President Bashar al-Assad’s forces in other key battles, a decision that has enraged Hezbollah’s Sunni rivals, who back the Syrian rebels. | Hezbollah, a Shiite organization and historically close ally of Iran and of Syria’s government, has sent fighters to defend the shrine and to aid President Bashar al-Assad’s forces in other key battles, a decision that has enraged Hezbollah’s Sunni rivals, who back the Syrian rebels. |
| Israeli officials said that they believed that Mr. Laqees was targeted by radical Sunnis in Lebanon as part of sectarian tensions over the war in Syria. | Israeli officials said that they believed that Mr. Laqees was targeted by radical Sunnis in Lebanon as part of sectarian tensions over the war in Syria. |
| Hezbollah, in keeping with the deep secrecy surrounding its military structure and operations, did not specify what role Mr. Laqees played in the organization or how senior he was. But Matthew Levitt, the author of “Hezbollah: The Global Footprint of Lebanon’s Party of God,” said that in the late 1990s Mr. Laqees had been a “very, very senior” figure, in charge of procuring supplies for Hezbollah from Canada, including computers and night-vision goggles. | Hezbollah, in keeping with the deep secrecy surrounding its military structure and operations, did not specify what role Mr. Laqees played in the organization or how senior he was. But Matthew Levitt, the author of “Hezbollah: The Global Footprint of Lebanon’s Party of God,” said that in the late 1990s Mr. Laqees had been a “very, very senior” figure, in charge of procuring supplies for Hezbollah from Canada, including computers and night-vision goggles. |
| According to information gathered by the F.B.I. and other agencies during an investigation of cigarette smuggling by Hezbollah in Charlotte, N.C., Mr. Laqees was in close touch with Imad Mughniyeh, a Hezbollah commander later assassinated by Israel. | According to information gathered by the F.B.I. and other agencies during an investigation of cigarette smuggling by Hezbollah in Charlotte, N.C., Mr. Laqees was in close touch with Imad Mughniyeh, a Hezbollah commander later assassinated by Israel. |
| But since then, he had largely dropped from view, in part because of his exposure in that case, Mr. Levitt said. | But since then, he had largely dropped from view, in part because of his exposure in that case, Mr. Levitt said. |
| Analysts said Mr. Laqees could have been a high-level target of opportunity for Sunni militants in Lebanon or could have been targeted for possible involvement in Syria. | Analysts said Mr. Laqees could have been a high-level target of opportunity for Sunni militants in Lebanon or could have been targeted for possible involvement in Syria. |
| Hezbollah has blamed previous attacks on Israel rather than point the finger at Sunni militants. Analysts view that as a signal that the group, which is also Lebanon’s strongest political party, does not want to escalate sectarian tensions inside Lebanon. | Hezbollah has blamed previous attacks on Israel rather than point the finger at Sunni militants. Analysts view that as a signal that the group, which is also Lebanon’s strongest political party, does not want to escalate sectarian tensions inside Lebanon. |
| The Hezbollah statement said Mr. Laqees had dedicated his life “to the honorable resistance from its first days to his final hours” and noted that he lost a son in the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel. | The Hezbollah statement said Mr. Laqees had dedicated his life “to the honorable resistance from its first days to his final hours” and noted that he lost a son in the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel. |
| Lebanese security officials told The Associated Press that gunmen had opened fire on Mr. Laqees while he was inside his car near an apartment building in Hadath, one of Beirut’s southern suburbs. He died later in the hospital from his wounds, the officials said. | Lebanese security officials told The Associated Press that gunmen had opened fire on Mr. Laqees while he was inside his car near an apartment building in Hadath, one of Beirut’s southern suburbs. He died later in the hospital from his wounds, the officials said. |
Jodi Rudoren contributed reporting from Jerusalem. | Jodi Rudoren contributed reporting from Jerusalem. |