RSS
Here Are Some of the US-Designated Terrorists That Israel Has Eliminated Over the Past Year
Iraqi Shiite Muslim men from the Iran-backed group Kataib Hezbollah march in a Quds Day parade, in Baghdad, July 25, 2014. Photo: Reuters / Thaier al-Sudani.
In its fight against Iranian regime-backed terror groups in both Gaza and Lebanon, Israel is not only defending its own territory, citizens, and national interests — but it is also helping the United States and other Western nations that are threatened by the Islamic Republic and its proxies.
Since October 7, Israel has eliminated several top Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, who have been designated as terrorists by the US State Department, including some who have had American blood on their hands for more than 40 years.
The following is a list of these US-designated terrorists that Israel has eliminated since October 7, 2023:
Marwan Issa
Terror affiliation: Hamas
Date added to the US terrorism list: September 10, 2019
Date of death: March 11, 2024
Nicknamed “The Shadow Man,” Marwan Issa was the deputy head of Hamas’ military wing, the Qassam Brigades, and was considered to be the third highest-ranking Hamas official in Gaza.
One of the earliest members of the Qassam Brigades, Issa was one of the key figures who helped develop it into a paramilitary organization, and he was also a central force behind many anti-Israel terror attacks since the late 1980s.
Issa is considered to be one of the central figures behind the planning of Hamas’ October 7 attack.
Ismail Haniyeh
Terror affiliation: Hamas
Date added to the US terrorism list: January 31, 2018
Date of death: July 31, 2024
Ismail Haniyeh was the political head of Hamas, having previously served as its head in Gaza (until 2017).
As head of the terror organization, Haniyeh played a role in the violent ouster of Fatah and the Palestinian Authority from the Gaza Strip in 2007.
Following the October 7 attack, Haniyeh both publicly celebrated the rampage, and justified it as an effective assault against the Jewish State.
Abu Anas Al-Ghandour
Terror affiliation: Hamas
Date added to the US terrorism list: April 6, 2017
Date of death: November 14, 2023
Abu Anas Al-Ghandour, also known as Ahmed Ghandour, was a senior member of Hamas, serving as the Qassam Brigades chief in northern Gaza and also as a member of the terror organization’s decision-making council.
Al-Ghandour was responsible for several terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians and military personnel in both Gaza and the West Bank, including the 2006 kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
According to the IDF, Al-Ghandour was a “leading figure in the planning and execution of the October 7th massacre.”
Prior to the operational pause, IDF aircraft eliminated five senior Hamas commanders in Gaza:
· Ahmed Ghandour, Commander of Hamas’ Northern Gaza Brigade
· Aiman Siam, Head of Hamas’ Rockets Array
· Wael Rajeb, Deputy Commander of Hamas’ Northern Gaza Brigade
· Farsan Halifa,… pic.twitter.com/iter9OdBnX
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 27, 2023
Muhammed Deif
Terror affiliation: Hamas
Date added to the US terrorism list: September 8, 2015
Date of death: July 13, 2024
Considered to be the number two Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, Muhammed Deif was head of the Qassam Brigades and is thought to be the mastermind behind the October 7 attack.
A prominent member of Hamas for decades, Deif spearheaded Hamas’ use of rockets and tunnels and was also implicated in many terror bombings against Israeli civilians during the 1990s and 2000s.
In the 2014 war between Israel and Hamas, Deif was responsible for firing rockets at Israel during humanitarian ceasefires, endangering both Israeli and Palestinian civilians.
Rawhi Mushtaha
Terror affiliation: Hamas
Date added to the US terrorism list: September 8, 2015
Date of death: July 2024
Considered to be the “de facto prime minister of Gaza,” Rawhi Mushtaha was the highest-ranking political leader of Hamas in Gaza, while also being involved in the terror organization’s violent activities.
An early leader of the Qassam Brigades, Mushtaha was sentenced to four life terms in Israeli prison for orchestrating terror attacks against the Jewish State, only to be released in 2011 during the Shalit deal.
Mushtaha was a close confidante of Yahya Sinwar, having served with him in Israeli prison and then co-founding Hamas’ internal security service together. This security service was responsible for the torture and killing of Palestinians suspected of cooperating with Israel.
Rawhi Mushtaha was one of the few Hamas leaders to be intimately involved in planning the October 7 attack on southern Israel.
Approximately 3 months ago, in a joint IDF and ISA strike in Gaza, the following terrorists were eliminated:
Rawhi Mushtaha, the Head of the Hamas government in Gaza
Sameh al-Siraj, who held the security portfolio on Hamas’ political bureau and Hamas’ Labor Committee
Sami… pic.twitter.com/6xpH6tOOot
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 3, 2024
Fu’ad Shukr
Terror affiliation: Hezbollah
Date added to the US terrorism list: September 10, 2019
Date of death: July 30, 2024
Fu’ad Shukr was one of Hezbollah’s most senior leaders, serving on its highest decision-making council and also directing its military operations.
One of the earliest members of the Lebanon-based terror group, Shukr helped coordinate attacks on foreigners in the 1980s, controlled the terror organization’s operations in southern Lebanon in the 1990s and 2000s, and was part of Hezbollah’s deployment to Syria in the 2010s to defend the Assad regime.
In his role as commander of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon during the 2000s, Shukr orchestrated a number of cross-border attacks against Israel, including the ambush and kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers in 2006 that precipitated the Second Lebanon War.
As a point man between Iran and Hezbollah, Shukr is largely credited with helping to expand Hezbollah’s arsenal into one of the largest controlled by a non-state actor.
In 2017, the US government offered a $5 million reward for information on Shukr’s whereabouts, for his role in the 1983 suicide bombing of the US Marine Barracks (which killed 241 American servicemembers) and French military barracks (which killed 58 French personnel).
Ibrahim Aqil
Terror affiliation: Hezbollah
Date added to the US terrorism list: September 10, 2019
Date of death: September 20, 2024
Similar to Fu’ad Shukr (who he replaced after the latter’s assassination), Ibrahim Aqil was an early member of Hezbollah who rose through the ranks to become a member of the terror group’s highest military body.
Through his 40-year career as a terrorist, Aqil had led Hezbollah’s foreign operations unit, was instrumental in providing Hezbollah’s support to the Assad regime during the Syrian civil war, and served as commander of the Radwan Forces (Hezbollah’s elite troops).
In the past few years, Aqil had been involved in several attacks across the Israel-Lebanon border, including the Megiddo Junction bombing in March 2023.
The United States offered a $7 million reward for Ibrahim Aqil’s whereabouts due to his involvement in anti-American terrorism in Lebanon in the 1980s, including the taking of American and German citizens as hostages, the 1983 US embassy bombing in Beirut (which killed 63 people), and the US Marines barracks bombing.
Ali Karaki
Terror affiliation: Hezbollah
Date added to the US terrorism list: September 10, 2019
Date of death: September 27, 2024
A member of Hezbollah’s highest military body, Ali Karaki (also known as Ali Karki), was commander of Hezbollah’s southern sector and was responsible for all of the terror group’s attacks that originated in southern Lebanon.
According to the Alma Research and Education Center, every anti-Israel attack since October 8 that originated in the south was either authorized by Karaki or directly coordinated with him.
After the assassination of Ibrahim Aqil, Karaki was chosen to be one of his successors.
Following a failed assassination attempt earlier that week, Ali Karaki was killed in the Israeli airstrike against Hezbollah’s secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah.
Hashem Safieddine
Terror affiliation: Hezbollah
Date added to the US terrorism list: May 19, 2017
Date of death: Presumed killed October 3, 2024
A relative of Hassan Nasrallah, Hashem Safieddine was presumed to be Nasrallah’s successor as secretary general of Hezbollah following the latter’s assassination by Israel.
During Nasrallah’s lifetime, Safieddine was considered to be the number two figure in Hezbollah’s hierarchy, serving as head of the terror organization’s executive council and as a member of its chief military body.
Safieddine also had close ties to Hezbollah’s backers in Iran, which even extended into his family life – his son is married to the daughter of Qassem Soleimani, the former head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force, who was assassinated by the United States in 2020.
The author is a contributor to HonestReporting, a Jerusalem-based media watchdog with a focus on antisemitism and anti-Israel bias — where a version of this article first appeared.
The post Here Are Some of the US-Designated Terrorists That Israel Has Eliminated Over the Past Year first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
RSS
Israel Pounds Gaza City Suburbs, Vows to Press on with Offensive
Smoke rises following an Israeli strike, in Gaza City, August 24, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
Israeli planes and tanks pounded the eastern and northern outskirts of Gaza City overnight Saturday to Sunday, destroying buildings and homes, residents said, as Israeli leaders vowed to press on with a planned offensive on the city.
Witnesses reported the sound of explosions non-stop overnight in the areas of Zeitoun and Shejaia, while tanks shelled houses and roads in the nearby Sabra neighborhood and several buildings were blown up in the northern town of Jabalia.
Fire lit the skies from the direction of the explosions, causing panic, prompting some families to stream out of the city. Others said they would prefer to die and not leave.
The Israeli military said on Sunday that its forces have returned to combat in the Jabalia area in recent days, to dismantle militant tunnels and strengthen control of the area.
It added that the operation there “enables the expansion of combat into additional areas and prevents Hamas terrorists from returning to operate in these areas.”
Israel approved a plan this month to seize control of Gaza City, describing it as the last bastion of Hamas. It is not expected to begin for a few weeks, leaving room for mediators Egypt and Qatar to try and resume ceasefire talks.
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz on Sunday vowed to press on with the offensive on the city where famine has been declared, which has raised alarm abroad and objections at home. Katz has said that Gaza City will be razed unless Hamas agrees to end the war on Israel’s terms and release all hostages.
Hamas said in a statement on Sunday that Israel’s plan to take over Gaza City showed it wasn’t serious about a ceasefire.
It said a ceasefire agreement was “the only way to return the hostages,” holding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responsible for their lives.
The proposal on the table calls for a 60-day ceasefire and the release of 10 living hostages held in Gaza and of 18 bodies. In turn, Israel would release about 200 long-serving Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Once a temporary ceasefire begins, the proposal is for Hamas and Israel to begin negotiations on a permanent ceasefire that would include the return of the remaining hostages.
On Thursday, Netanyahu said that Israel would immediately resume negotiations for the release of all 50 hostages – of whom Israel believes around 20 are still living – and an end to the nearly two-year-old war but on terms acceptable to Israel.
‘HUNGRY AND AFRAID’
Around half of the enclave’s two million people currently live in Gaza City. A few thousand have already left, carrying their belongings on vehicles and rickshaws.
“I stopped counting the times I had to take my wife and three daughters and leave my home in Gaza City,” said Mohammad, 40, via a chat app. “No place is safe, but I can’t take the risk. If they suddenly begin the invasion, they will use heavy fire.”
Others said they will not leave, no matter what.
“We are not leaving, let them bomb us at home,” said Aya, 31, who has a family of eight, adding that they couldn’t afford to buy a tent or pay for the transportation, even if they did try to leave. “We are hungry, afraid and don’t have money.”
A global hunger monitor said on Friday that Gaza City and surrounding areas are officially suffering from famine that will likely spread. Israel has rejected the assessment and says it ignores steps it has taken since late July to increase aid.
The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led gunmen burst into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and taking 251 hostages.
RSS
Iran Signals Willingness to Scale Back Uranium Enrichment to Ease Tensions
Atomic symbol and USA and Iranian flags are seen in this illustration taken, September 8, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
i24 News – Iran may be prepared to significantly reduce its uranium enrichment levels in a bid to stave off renewed UN sanctions and limit the risk of further strikes by Israel and the United States, according to a report published Sunday in The Telegraph.
Citing Iranian sources, the paper said Tehran is considering lowering enrichment from 60% to 20%.
The move is reportedly being championed by Ali Larijani, the newly appointed secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, who is holding talks with regime leaders.
“Larijani is trying to convince the system to reduce the level of enrichment in order to avoid further war,” a senior Iranian official told the paper.
The proposal, however, faces stiff resistance from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which has long opposed concessions on the nuclear program. Still, the report suggests Iran’s leadership may be open to greater flexibility, including the possibility of reviving engagement with Western powers.
Last month, i24NEWS reported exclusively that a delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is expected to travel to Iran. The team of technical experts would seek to resume monitoring of nuclear sites, inspections that have been heavily restricted in recent years.
The development comes amid mounting regional tensions and could represent a critical turning point in the long-running nuclear standoff.
RSS
Major Brush Fire Erupts Near Jerusalem, Evacuations Underway
A view of the new Tel Aviv-Jerusalem fast train seen over the HaArazim Valley (“Valley of Cedars”) just outside of Jerusalem, Sept. 25, 2018. Photo: Yossi Zamir/Flash90.
i24 News – A large brush fire broke out Sunday in the Cedars Valley area, near Route 1 and the Motza interchange, prompting an emergency response from Jerusalem district fire services. Several water-bombing planes were dispatched, and authorities have declared a “fire emergency.”
As a precaution, residents of Mevaseret Zion are being evacuated. Access to the town from Route 1 has already been blocked, and officials are weighing a full closure of the major highway.
Fire crews from the Ha’uma station are on site working to contain the flames, while motorists in the area are urged to heed traffic updates and follow instructions from emergency services.
Eight firefighting aircraft are currently operating above the blaze in support of ground teams. The fire comes amid one of the hottest, driest summers on record, with conditions fueling a series of destructive wildfires across the country.
Officials warn the situation remains critical, as the blaze threatens a vital transportation corridor leading into Jerusalem.