Late in the morning, Jawad al-Tawil was riding with his escort in a Honda car when a drone missile was fired at them, Arab media reported on Monday. The vehicle that exploded was completely burned and medical staff took time to identify the bodies of the two passengers. Tawil was a senior commander in the elite Radwan Force unit, and was considered close to Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah.
- Video: Omer Meron /GPO, Sound: Ben Peretz /GPO
Lebanese sources reported that the fatality was in charge of Hezbollah's operational activity in southern Lebanon, and therefore held a command rank equivalent to that of a general. In photos released by Hezbollah, al-Tawil was pictured alongside Qods Force commander Qassem Soleimani, Nasrallah, and Hezbollah's assassinated "chief of staff," Imad Mughniyeh.
Jawad al-Tawil with Qassem Soleimani, photo: Arab Networks
It was also reported that three members of Tawil's family had been killed in the past for their activities in the terrorist organization. A security source who spoke to Reuters called the assassination "a painful blow to Hezbollah." According to the organization's statement, he was a commander who was killed "on the Jerusalem Road," in accordance with other announcements about more than 150 Hezbollah terrorists killed since the beginning of the war.
Jawad al-Tawil with Imad Mughniyeh, head of Hezbollah's military wing, photo: Arab networks
The assassination of the Hezbollah commander comes as the terrorist organization escalated its missile launches in recent days. The head of Hezbollah's Executive Council, Sayyid Hisham Safi al-Din, said that "the attack on the Meron base was only the beginning of the response to the Zionist regime's attack in south Beirut," in which senior Hamas official Saleh Aruri was assassinated. The senior Hezbollah official, considered Nasrallah's No. 2, said that more Hezbollah responses were expected, and that all of Israel's positions were potential targets. He threatened that "none of the Zionists' bases are beyond the range of Hezbollah's missiles."
Jawad with Mustafa Badreddin, another senior Hezbollah official who was assassinated, photo: Arab networks
Against this background, Lebanese sources reported that Germany's foreign minister had submitted a proposal to Beirut according to which German forces would be deployed in southern Lebanon with military powers. Apparently, as reinforcements for a UNIFIL force in the same area. However, Sky News reported that the Lebanese side rejected the offer to deploy emergency forces. This proposal is reminiscent of another experimental balloon of France. According to a report on the Saudi Al-Hadath network, the French offered to deploy another force of their own in southern Lebanon.
At the same time, senior US officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Special Envoy Amos Hochstein, began a round of visits to the Middle East. Blinken met with senior Qatari officials and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed. Hochstein arrived in Israel and, according to media close to Hezbollah, is trying to discuss hypothetical questions with both sides. For example, what will happen if the Gaza war ends.
Nasrallah himself made it clear on Friday that there was indeed an opportunity for Lebanon to bring about "the liberation of every inch of our land," but that this was on condition that the war in the Gaza Strip be stopped. In his speech, he referred to the 13 points of contention on the land border.
"Hezbollah? Army of Iran"
In Lebanon itself, criticism of Hezbollah is increasing. In recent days, a cyberattack was reported at Beirut's airport named after Rafik Hariri. Anti-Hezbollah messages appeared on television screens at the airport, stating, among other things, that it was not a port for Hezbollah and Iran: "Oh Hassan Nasrallah, you will not find rest if you bring war on Lebanon and bear the consequences. Oh Hezbollah – we will not fight for anyone. You destroyed the port in Beirut and now you want to destroy the airport because of the introduction of weapons." A group of hackers claimed responsibility for the attack, but it is not a known group.
Nasrallah. Afraid to enter the fray?, Photo: Arab Networks
At the same time, the leader of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea, strongly criticized Hezbollah against the backdrop of tens of thousands of Lebanese fleeing southern Lebanon. In an interview with local media, Geagea claimed that if the Lebanese army had been deployed in the border area, as stipulated in Resolution 1701, the entire flight of the Lebanese would have been spared. "Hezbollah is defending southern Lebanon? "It doesn't really matter if Hezbollah or the Lebanese army is deployed there, but the army gains international legitimacy."
Another criticism came from Lebanese journalist Mohammed Barakat: "At the moment there are three active armies in the region - the American army, the Israeli army and the Iranian army. Who is defending Lebanon? The UN? The Security Council that protects Gaza? Hezbollah today, as Nasrallah admitted, is one of Iran's armies in this war. This army supports and assists Gaza."
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