Assassination of Imad Mughniyeh

{{Infobox civilian attack

| title = Assassination of Imad Mughniyeh

| partof = Hezbollah–Israel conflict and Iran–Israel proxy conflict

| map_caption = Location

| location = Kafr Sousa, Damascus, Syria

| coordinates =

| date = 12 February 2008

| time = 22:20{{Cite web|url=https://al-akhbar.com/Politics/46508|title=الليلة المظلمة: كيف اغتال الموساد عمـاد مغنية؟|trans-title=The Dark Night: How did the Mossad assassinate Imad Mughniyeh?|date=19 February 2013|language=ar}}

| timezone = UTC+2

| type = car bomb

| victims = 1

| accused = {{flag|Israel}}
{{flag|United States}}

}}

On 12 February 2008, Imad Mughniyeh, a senior commander of Hezbollah, the political party and armed militia in Lebanon, was assassinated in a car bomb explosion in the Kafr Sousa neighborhood of Damascus.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/feb/14/israelandthepalestinians.lebanon|title=Car bomb ends life of Hizbullah chief wanted for string of kidnappings and mass murders|first=Ian|last=Black|date=14 February 2008|newspaper=The Guardian}} Mughniyeh had a long history of fighting the Israel Defense Forces and was a top target for Tel Aviv. Mughniyeh actively participated in the 2006 Lebanon War.{{Cite web|url=https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/hizbullah-mughniyeh-was-key-commander-in-2006-lebanon-war|title=Hizbullah: Mughniyeh was key commander in 2006 Lebanon war|date=27 February 2008|website=The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com}} Mughniyeh, who was on the FBI's most wanted terrorists list,{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/02/13/hezbollah/|title=Report: Reputed terrorist long sought by CIA killed in explosion - CNN.com|website=www.cnn.com}} was killed instantly when the explosive device detonated in a Mitsubishi Pajero. In 2024, former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert publicly acknowledged for the first time that Israel was responsible for assassinating Mughniyeh.{{Cite web|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-09-28/ty-article/ex-pm-says-israel-behind-previously-unclaimed-2008-killing-of-hezbollahs-military-chief/00000192-3a19-d93a-a5b6-3e7f28e00000|title=Ex-PM Admits Israel Behind Previously Unclaimed 2008 Killing of Hezbollah's Military Chief - Israel News - Haaretz.com}}

His son Jihad would become a member of the party and was killed in a raid on Mazraat al-Amal in Quneitra during the Syrian civil war. Imad Mughniyeh was initially involved in the Palestinian Fatah movement during the Lebanese civil war before Hezbollah was founded in 1982. The assassination was characterized as a significant security lapse and a notable intelligence achievement for Israel, sparking suspicions of potential betrayal within the Damascus regime, particularly given that the incident occurred in a zone housing security headquarters.

Following the assassination, a joint Iranian-Syrian investigation committee was formed, coinciding with the visit of Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki.{{Cite web|url=https://www.albayan.ae/one-world/2008-02-16-1.617562|title=تحقيقات إيرانية ـ سورية في اغتيال مغنية|date=15 February 2008|website=www.albayan.ae}} In 2010, WikiLeaks reported that Hezbollah believed Syria was involved in Mughniyeh's assassination.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/07/wikileaks-syria-hezbollah-assassination|title=WikiLeaks cables: Syria stunned by Hezbollah assassination|first=Ian|last=Black|date=7 December 2010|newspaper=The Guardian}}

Hezbollah appointed a successor to Imad Mughniyeh, whose identity was not revealed.[https://www.reuters.com/article/oegtp-lebanon-hezullah-sk7-idARAOLR55492320080215/]

Reactions

Syrian media reported an explosion in the Kafr Assousa neighborhood that killed one person but omitted mentioning the victim's identity.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert released a statement denying any Israeli involvement in the assassination.{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7242383.stm|title=Bomb kills top Hezbollah leader|date=13 February 2008|via=news.bbc.co.uk}} Danny Yatom, the former director of the Mossad, stated that he was not aware of who was responsible for the assassination of Imad Mughniyeh but regarded the operation as a significant achievement for the intelligence community. Yatom further noted that Mughniyeh was on par with Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda.

Gideon Ezra, the Minister of Environment, Security Cabinet member, and former deputy head of the Shin Bet, voiced his approval of Mughniyeh's assassination. He referred to Mughniyeh as "the Lebanese Carlos," drawing a comparison to the Venezuelan terrorist imprisoned in France.{{Cite web|url=https://www.jpost.com/israel/gideon-ezra-mughniyeh-was-the-lebanese-carlos|title=Gideon Ezra: Mughniyeh was the 'Lebanese Carlos'|date=13 February 2008|website=The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com}}

The US State Department stated that "the world is a better place" without Imad Mughniyeh. Meanwhile, the White House spokesperson Sean McCormack described Mughniyeh as a "cold-blooded killer."

Hezbollah announced that Mughniyeh's funeral will be held on February 14, which also marks the third anniversary of Rafik Hariri's assassination.