Israel reportedly killed Abu Ali Khalil—known as Abu Ali Jawad—Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s longtime security chief, in a targeted airstrike inside Iran, according to a Hezbollah official.

Strike Hits Key Hezbollah Figure in Iran

The official, speaking anonymously, said the airstrike occurred earlier today after Abu Ali had crossed into Iran from neighboring Iraq. The exact location and operational details remain undisclosed, but the incident marks one of Israel’s deepest and most symbolic strikes inside Iranian territory.

Abu Ali had been a fixture behind Nasrallah during public appearances for years and was placed in charge of his tomb in Beirut after the Hezbollah chief was killed in an Israeli strike in September.

Strategic and Symbolic Blow

The killing underscores Israel’s continued campaign to target Iranian-backed figures across the region, extending from Lebanon to Syria, Iraq, and now directly into Iran. Abu Ali’s high profile as Nasrallah’s personal security head signals a calculated psychological message to Hezbollah’s leadership and Iran’s Quds Force.

Nasrallah was killed in a September 2024 Israeli airstrike in a Beirut suburb, in a strike that upended Hezbollah’s senior ranks. Abu Ali Jawad’s death follows Israel’s expanding air campaign amid a broader conflict involving Iran, Hamas, and other Iran-aligned groups.