The leader of Iran’s Quds Force is reportedly missing after an Israeli attack in Beirut

Esmail Qaani, the commander of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was reportedly missing after Israeli airstrikes in Beirut on Friday. While the Iranian media remained silent on his whereabouts, some Turkish and Israeli news agencies claimed that Qaani could be dead.

The Israeli airstrikes in the southern Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh reportedly targeted Hashem Safieddine, the successor to slain Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. Safieddine was also reportedly unavailable after the strikes.

According to Israeli N12 news, the Iranian brigadier general was present in Dahiyeh at the time and may have been injured in the Israeli attack. Another Israeli news channel, Channel 12, claimed that Lebanese authorities had confirmed Qaani’s death, although the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had not claimed the killing of the Iranian commander.

Some reports also speculated that Qaani may have been under increased surveillance due to fears of Israeli operations following the Iranian missile attacks on October 1. Some Saudi news channels even suggested that Qaani may have been executed by Iran on suspicion of collaborating with Israel’s Mossad spy agency.

Qaani’s absence was noted during Friday prayers led by Iranian Supreme Ali Khamenei. According to a New York Times report, Qaani had traveled to Beirut to meet with Hezbollah officials amid Israeli attacks in Lebanon.

WHO IS ESMAIL QAANI?

Esmail Qaani succeeded Qassem Soleimani as Iran’s head of foreign operations. Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike near Baghdad International Airport in Iraq in January 2020.

After Soleimani’s assassination, Qaani played a crucial role in shaping Iran’s military strategy in the region. Before taking the helm of the Quds Force, Qaani held positions in the counterintelligence unit and led drug operations in Afghanistan and Iran.