Ali Hussein Barji (Arabic: علي حسين برجي; allegedly died on 9 January 2024) was a Lebanese militant and the commander of Hezbollah's aerial forces in southern Lebanon. He was reportedly killed by an Israeli airstrike in Khirbet Selm, Lebanon, during the ongoing Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present),
Ali Hussein Barji | |
|---|---|
| Native name | علي حسين برجي |
| Allegiance |  Hezbollah |
| Battles / wars | |
Military career
Barji played a key role in the development of Hezbollah's suicide drone system. During the Syrian civil war, he was one of the highest-ranking Hezbollah officials engaged in combat in the Idlib region. Barji orchestrated numerous drone attacks on Israeli forces during the Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present). Notably, he orchestrated a strike on an Israeli airbase in Mount Meron on 6 January 2024, and targeted Israel's Northern Command headquarters in Safed on 9 January 2024.[1][2]
Death
On 9 January 2024, he was killed in an Israeli airstrike while attending the funeral of Wissam al-Tawil, another Hezbollah senior commander who had been killed the previous day. Israel stated that his killing was a response to the drone attack in Safed that had occurred earlier that day.[3][2][4][5]
References
- ^ "After the killing of Wissam Al-Tawil: Ali Hussein Burji, commander of Hezbollah's drone unit, was killed in an air strike in southern Lebanon" (in Arabic). i24 News. 9 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
- ^ a b "IDF kills senior Hezbollah commander in southern Lebanon". i24 News. 9 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
- ^ Beaumont, Peter (9 January 2024). "Hezbollah drone strike hits key Israeli military command centre". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
- ^ Fabian, Emanuel (9 January 2024). "Hezbollah drone chief behind attacks on north killed in alleged Israeli strike". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
- ^ Vasilyeva, Nataliya (9 January 2024). "Israel assassinates Hezbollah drone chief in air strike on Lebanon". The Telegraph. Retrieved 15 January 2024.