By Latifa Al-Husseini

Lebanon – Hajj Abdul Qader – Ibrahim Aqil – spent years in the mountains, hills and on the frontlines. He dedicated a long life to ensuring that the Resistance would not grow old, but instead mature through accumulated experience and strategic application. In the South during the late 1990s, as Head of Operations in Jabal Amel, he sowed the seeds of unwavering determination to fight—seeds that would grow stronger until they bore fruit on the historic day of liberation.

Hajj Abdul Qader forged a deep bond with the rugged terrain of the South—its stones, trees and villages bordering Palestine. Alongside Hajj Radwan—Commander Hajj Imad Mughniyeh—he built combat networks using tactics and methods he developed to confront the enemy’s conventional army. In the final years of occupation in the South and beyond, Hajj Abdul Qader intensified impactful and harrowing operations against the Zionist and Lahad Army forces. He transformed the resistance units he had rigorously trained, shifting them from a purely defensive posture to proactive roles, launching bold operations. Abandoning traditional methods of combat, he elevated these units to deliver devastating, crippling blows—strikes that ultimately precipitated an uncoordinated "Israeli" withdrawal, one that then-Prime Minister Ehud Barak had not anticipated.

Following 1996 and 1997, field operations by the resistance escalated significantly. Monthly operations reached into the dozens and included raids on enemy positions, bombings, shelling of settlements, martyrdom operations, and the capture and elimination of collaborators. A variety of tactics were employed, all with one aim: to relentlessly expel the enemy without compromise.

To document Hajj Abdul Qader’s leadership during this critical and historic phase of the resistance, Al-Ahed News accessed an interview from Hezbollah’s military media archives, capturing that golden era during which he commanded operations in Jabal Amel.

History in His Words

In a recorded interview dated December 15, 2020—four years before his martyrdom—Hajj Abdul Qader gave a detailed account of the final five days of liberation. His articulate and insightful recounting of events and experience stood out in the Arab world. From the moment he was assigned leadership of operations in Jabal Amel, his mission was clear: to compel the "Israeli" forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon under fire, without concessions or negotiations.

Combat and Withdrawal Tactics

Tensions among enemy forces were high as discussions unfolded about how to execute the withdrawal announced by Ehud Barak. The "Israeli" leadership attempted to shield its soldiers by putting the Lahad forces at the forefront—as expendable "domino pieces"—to protect "Israeli" lives.

Hajj Abdul Qader’s strategy focused on advancing combat tactics to deliver effective strikes and lower the enemy’s morale, especially among top commanders in the occupied South, including Amiram Nir, commander of the Northern Command, and Benny Gantz, then head of the Liaison Unit in Southern Lebanon.

In the five days leading up to May 25, withdrawal operations had already begun, starting in Jezzine. In line with the resistance leadership’s doctrine, the goal was to expel the enemy from the Jezzine axis, deny it a hold on the region, and sever its connection to the Western Beqaa front. This also preempted any attempts to exploit Jezzine’s sectarian diversity or rely on the Lahad forces as a proxy force. The Resistance launched back-to-back strikes from both the Western Beqaa and Jabal Amel fronts. The campaign culminated in the assassination of the Lahad regiment commander in Jezzine, ensuring the occupation could not be reinstated.

Hajj Abdul Qader’s plan succeeded. Withdrawals proceeded through Al-Qantara, a key indicator of the "Israeli" army’s actual collapse. In coordination with resistance leadership and the Southern region’s then-commander, the martyred Sheikh Nabil Qaouk, Hajj Abdul Qader closely monitored local civilians who began to take to the streets in Taybeh. At the same time, resistance fighters were on high alert, ready to detonate explosives at any moment in Houla and Meis al-Jabal.

Events quickly spiraled out of the occupier’s control. The withdrawals became disorganized and panicked, despite desperate pleas from senior Lahad commanders who insisted they not be abandoned and demanded clarification on their fate, in hopes of avoiding a forced retreat alongside the "Israeli" forces.

The Aramta Operation

The foundation for what followed was set in Aaramta, where a critical operation was carried out. Hajj Abdul Qader and Hajj Radwan led the mission together. Aaramta was chosen for its strategic depth in the Rayhan region. According to Hajj Abdul Qader, cracks had already begun to form in the "Zionist" lines, foreshadowing their eventual collapse.

This operation opened the way for liberation almost a month ahead of schedule. The resistance struck from Bir Kallab and Al-Muthallath, followed by an attack on the Bayada position. The enemy was deliberately misled toward Tayr Harfa by using a tank for the first time. The fighters breached minefields and barbed wire before detonating the position, eliminating those trapped inside. The mission was a resounding success.

The Final Days

In the last three days before liberation, Hajj Abdul Qader and Hajj Imad were positioned at the front lines. In Bint Jbeil, they were joined by the martyred Hajj Abu Taleb, then sector commander, to ensure the safe return of civilians to their liberated villages. Hajj Imad arrived at Bir Al-Salasil before moving with Hajj Abdul Qader across the front lines to Ain Ebel. They remained in the area for a full week, maintaining the Resistance’s readiness to secure every vacated position and repel any possible re-entry by the occupiers—all the way to Kfarkila, the closest point to Palestine.

Although the withdrawal was finalized on May 25, Hajj Abdul Qader insisted the mission was not over. One final task remained: securing the military perimeter for the rally held by Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in Bint Jbeil.

An Islamic Military School

Hajj Abdul Qader approached his role in the resistance with deep devotion. Over four decades, he laid the foundation of a true Islamic military school—built on sincere commitment to God and guided by the path of Karbala. This school focused on elite training programs, designed to inflict tangible losses on the enemy through direct combat, psychological warfare, ambushes and explosives—while holding firmly to the legacy of the martyrs.

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