Sources say senior commander escaped attack amid rising tensions

By Sadiq Abdulfatah

Sources within the Palestinian Islamic Jihad say one of its top leaders, Akram al-Ajouri, survived an Israeli airstrike that reportedly targeted him in Iran about a month ago.

The strike is said to have taken place in mid-March in the city of Qom, where al-Ajouri was expected to be. However, sources said he was not at the location at the time and escaped safely.

Two senior sources based in Lebanon said he had left the area shortly before the strike as part of routine security measures, as he often changes locations for safety reasons.

The site that was hit was reportedly linked to Mohammad Saeed Izadi, also known as “Hajj Ramadan,” who was involved in coordinating with Palestinian groups and Hezbollah. He was killed in a separate Israeli strike in the same city last year.

Al-Ajouri, who is in his sixties, leads the Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Islamic Jihad. He has played a major role in the group’s military activities since the early 2000s.

Sources say he is a key figure in planning operations and maintaining ties with regional allies, including Iran. He has also been involved in building the group’s presence in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and Syria.

The group has not officially confirmed the reported assassination attempt. However, sources both in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories said al-Ajouri is safe.

Israeli media had earlier reported that al-Ajouri and another senior figure, Mohammad al-Hindi, were targeted in Iran. Later reports said al-Hindi was not in the country at the time.

Sources added that Palestinian leaders linked to Iran have increased security measures due to fears of further attacks if tensions rise again.

Al-Ajouri has survived several past assassination attempts, including attacks in Syria in 2014 and 2019, one of which killed his son and others.

Before the recent tensions, he had reportedly planned to leave Lebanon, but efforts to move to other countries were unsuccessful due to legal and political issues.

Source: Asharq Al-Awsat