Shokor’s remains were discovered in a building struck by the Israeli occupation forces on Tuesday.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Hezbollah mourned Shokor, describing him as a dedicated and influential leader in their resistance movement. “After a journey plentiful in faith in Allah, sincerity, and relentless resistance, Allah granted His servant, the sincere and devoted fighter, the noble reward of martyrdom,” the statement read.
Hezbollah honored Shokor as a "great jihadist leader" and a symbol of their unwavering commitment to the path of resistance. The group emphasized that Shokor’s martyrdom would serve as a powerful motivator for fellow fighters to continue their efforts to achieve the goals of liberation and resistance against what they termed the "oppression and brutality" of the Israeli regime.
The statement also announced that Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah would address the group's political stance on the assassination in a speech scheduled for Thursday. The party extended condolences to Shokor’s family and praised his contributions to the resistance.
The Israeli airstrike targeted a residential building in Haret Hreik, part of Beirut's southern suburb, with the intention of assassinating Shokor. Shokor, originally from Nabi Sheet in the Bekaa Valley, was a founding member of Hezbollah's Islamic Resistance in Lebanon. He gained prominence for his role in the resistance against the 1982 Israeli invasion and participated in significant battles, including those in Khalde and the Faculty of Sciences in Beirut.
Shokor was a close advisor to Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and was pursued by the United States for his alleged involvement in the 1983 Beirut Barracks Bombings, which targeted US and French soldiers. The US had placed a $5 million bounty on Shokor and designated him as a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist" in 2019.
According to reports, Shokor had taken on some responsibilities following the martyrdom of Mustafa Badreddine and was involved in the defense of Syria and the liberation of al-Qusayr. He was recognized as a key figure in developing Hezbollah's precision-guided missile arsenal and had a significant role in managing external affairs, including those related to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Throughout his career, Shokor was pivotal in establishing and leading various Hezbollah military units, including naval and air forces, and was instrumental in targeting Israeli assets. His contributions to the resistance were widely acknowledged within the organization and by all Islamic world. (ILKHA)