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.

Israel and Hezbollah exchanged fire on Saturday as rescue crews in Beirut searched the rubble of an apartment building that was leveled by an Israeli airstrike that killed at least 37 people.

Israeli officials said Friday they eliminated top Hezbollah commanders in a targeted strike in Beirut, including an officer involved in planning multiple attacks against Israel. The Israeli air

The Radwan Force is central to Hezbollah’s military doctrine, which emphasizes asymmetric warfare against a technologically superior adversary like Israel.

Beirut, Lebanon – Two Hezbollah leaders were among those killed in an Israeli airstrike on a Beirut suburb , Israel’s military said Saturday, as Lebanon raised the death toll from the attack to 37, including women and children.

Ibrahim Aqil, also known as Tahsin, served in Hezbollah's highest military body, the Jihad Council. He also led the elite Radwan forces, the outfit's top military unit responsible for carrying out its jihad-related operations on the ground.