From the Liveblog of
Thursday, May 7, 2026
IDF confirms killing commander of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force in Beirut strike
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The IDF confirms killing the commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, Ahmed Ghaleb Balout, in an airstrike in Beirut last night.
Balout was targeted in the southern suburbs of Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold. The IDF publishes footage showing the strike.
The military says that for years, Balout held several roles in the Radwan Force, including previously serving as its chief of operations.
During the war and recently, Balout directed “dozens” of attacks against IDF troops in southern Lebanon, including anti-tank guided missile fire and explosives, the IDF says.
The IDF says Balout had also “advanced efforts to restore the capabilities of the Radwan Force unit, particularly the implementation of the ‘Conquer the Galilee’ plan,” referring to the terror group’s plans to invade Israel.
The strike marked the first in the Lebanese capital in almost a month, with the last having been on April 8 — after US President Donald Trump asked Israel to stop targeting Beirut.
An Israeli airstrike targets the commander of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force in Beirut, May 6, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)
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