The Mystery of Quds Force Commander Esmail Qaani's Disappearance

Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani went missing after a series of Israeli airstrikes in Beirut. He had traveled to Lebanon following the assassination of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. Attempts to contact Qaani have been unsuccessful amid ongoing Israeli operations against Hezbollah, complicating Iran's regional strategy.

Esmail Qaani, commander of Iran's Quds Force, has not been heard from after his visit to Lebanon, following the assassination of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah by an Israeli airstrike last month.

Sources indicate Qaani was in Beirut's southern suburbs during a recent Israeli strike but was not meeting senior Hezbollah figure Hashem Safieddine at the time.

Iran and Hezbollah have been unable to make contact with Qaani amid intensified Israeli military actions targeting Hezbollah, further straining Iran's influence in the region.

(With inputs from agencies.)