On July 30, 2024, senior Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr aka Hajj Mohsin was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in a Hezbollah stronghold in a southern suburb of Beirut. Shukr, who served on the Jihad Council—Hezbollah’s highest military body—played a pivotal role in the 1983 Beirut Marine barracks bombings, which resulted in the deaths of 241 American Marines and 58 French soldiers. The public was surprised to learn that Shukr, a key figure in the attacks, was still at large after all these years. However, this surprise reveals a deeper issue: Shukr is not the only individual involved in the 1983 bombings who remains free. While Shukr's death is a significant development, it underscores the broader, ongoing need for justice and accountability for all those involved in the attack against our Marines.
As background, the 1983 bombings were among the deadliest attacks against U.S. forces in history, orchestrated by Hezbollah operatives using the alias Islamic Jihad Organization at the time, along with their Iranian allies. Shukr’s terrorist activities extended far beyond this event. His likely involvement in the 1985 hijacking of TWA Flight 847, the 1994 AMIA bombing in Buenos Aires, and the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing highlights his deep-seated role in orchestrating global terrorism. Recently, Shukr was also responsible for a missile strike on July 27, 2024, that killed 12 children in the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights.
Shukr’s death alone does not eliminate the threat. Several individuals implicated in the 1983 attack remain at large, allowing them to continue planning, plotting, and executing further attacks. Below is a summary of key figures still evading capture who were directly involved in the barracks bombings or played significant operational roles in their planning, financing, and coordination:
- Ibrahim Aqil aka Tahsin: Serves on Hezbollah’s highest military body and was a principal member of the Islamic Jihad Organization involved in a number of additional attacks in the 1980s. The U.S. Department of State has a $7 million reward for information related to his whereabouts.
- Hasan Izz-al-Din: A Hezbollah member also involved in the hijacking of TWA Flight 847. He is on the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorists list with a $5 million bounty.
- Mohammed Ali Hamadei: Also involved in the TWA Flight 847 hijacking and other Hezbollah operations. He was released from German custody in 2005, with unconfirmed reports of his death in a 2010 drone strike in Pakistan. Hamadei also has a $5 million bounty.
- Talal Hamiyah: Head of Hezbollah's External Security Organization, responsible for numerous attacks. Although initially reported killed alongside Shukr, no confirmations have been made, and he remains a wanted figure. The U.S. Department of State also has a $7 million reward for information related to his whereabouts.
- Abdullah Safi-Al-Din (variant: Safieddine): Hezbollah’s top financier, representative to Iran, and cousin of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, involved in coordinating tasks between Hezbollah and Iranian authorities.
- Mohammad Raad: Senior Hezbollah official involved in military and political activities.
- Naim Qassem: Deputy Secretary-General of Hezbollah, involved in the strategic planning of the group’s military operations.
The continued presence of these individuals within Hezbollah’s ranks represents a persistent threat. The failure of justice not only endangers global security but also emboldens Hezbollah and its allies, allowing them to sustain and expand their operations. For instance, there are currently joint plotting efforts between al-Qaeda and Hezbollah in Lebanon possibly targeting the U.S. diplomatic presence involving Abdul Azim Musa Bin Ali—a key Libyan al-Qaeda plotter from the September 11 and 12, 2012, Benghazi, Libya attacks. This is not a new war on terror; it is a continuation of a conflict that never ended because we allowed the attackers to remain free.