“We swore never to put down our guns until victory is achieved.”
-Martyr Jihad Mugniyeh.

Martyr Jihad Mugniyeh was born on 2 May 1991 in Tirba, Lebanon into the family of fighters and martyrs. He was the son of Hezbollah commander Emad Mugniyeh, a Lebanese Islamist who fought against Israel and United states in the Middle East in a series of Guerrilla warfare. Emad’s whole career was a proof that one person can really reshape politics in the Middle East. He was one of the indispensable military commanders, the head of its Jihad council and the architect of its war strategy during the 2006 conflict with Israel.

According to Saudi news paper Asharq Al- Awsat; (one of the most widespread newspaper in the Arab world) reports;
After the death of Emad Mugniyeh, an interesting process began to unfold. As Jihad Mugniyeh, the youngest son of Emad Mugniyeh was becoming more publicly known, the eldest son Mustafa continued to stay a mystery, with a few mentions in the media. Mustafa’s identity had been kept mysterious as opposed to his brother Jihad to ensure his future involvement on secret missions carried out by the 910 unit of Hezbollah. (910 units are in charge of overseas attack).

Ibrahim Al Amin an editor of Hezbollah journal reported; after the burial of Emad Mugniyeh, about seven years ago;
The Mugniyeh family gathered at their grandfather’s house. The attendees were asked a calm direct question, “Who tomorrow, will dare to say loudly to everyone, family and comrades, as well as the enemy, “We were not killed?”
Everybody looked at Mustafa, the eldest son of martyr Emad Mugniyeh. Mustafa was his father’s companion; he accompanied him on several journeys and occasions. The family had expected him being the eldest son, to publicly announce his father’s death, however, he gave a clear answer; I am not fit for this task.

It became clear for the masters of the household that Mustafa wanted to carve his own path; and be exempted from this task. Everyone turned towards Jihad, younger brother of Mustafa. The young man Jihad was sitting between elder brother Mustafa and Sister Fatima, he realized that he was running out of options. Perhaps he was prepared for such a task. He approved of his new role. The speech was drafted and practiced, when he took the stage no one in the audience expected Jihad to be older than he was. Not only was he calm, but he acted as an impressive speaker asserting, “We were not killed?”
However, the son can precede his father, nobody expected that Jihad would go out in the public like a man; he was only 18 at that time, wrote Al Amin in his article. His appearance can indicate the potential the rest of the family saw in Jihad, who was recruited into Hezbollah operations shortly afterwards. Unlike his father and brother, everyone knew Jihad Mugniyeh. They gave him positions related to the security, which was part of the Mugniyeh family’s genetic make-up.” Says, Solomon
“As history shows, whoever went up the ladder to participate in secret Hezbollah’s operations; first held positions related to the personal security of various key members of the organization. It is presumed that this was the reason of keeping Mustafa’s identity mysterious.

After Jihad was thrust into spotlight, this dynamic young man was exposed to extensive experiences in several areas. With time, the compulsion that led him to volunteer for various roles became strong. It was not only because he was the son of “The Commander of Two victories,” to him; it was a chance to prove his abilities in the face of tough requirements.

Jihad became one of the most prominent Hezbollah officials. He was active in the group from a very young age. While studying at the American university of Beirut, one of the best universities in the Middle East, where he was a Hezbollah student activist and took a prominent role after the death of his father.

He was named after his uncle, who died at a very young age. Moreover, is considered a martyr by the family. Emad’s brother died in unknown circumstances. The three brother’s mother said prior to her son’s burial, “I wish I had more sons, so they could continue the way.” Many things have been imposed on the family, which is under continuous surveillance by the enemy. The family has offered many martyrs, Favad and Jihad Mugniyeh, brothers of Emad Mugniyeh who was familiar by his nom de guerre Al Haj Rizwan. Until his assassination, Emad was considered by some intelligence circles to be the most wanted individual in the world; which is why he shied away from the media and was known in the extremist circles as “The shadowy man.” He was also on the FBI wanted list with a US$ 25 million bounty on his head. Repeatedly he popped up in different locations around the world only to disappear again.

After offering three martyrs, the family still has the patience and willingness to face what is coming.
It is enough to listen to Jihad’s grandmother or to look at his grandfather, Haj Fayez’s face to know the title of a story that has yet to be written, and of which Jihad has become a chapter.

Jihad was perceived as a rising star within the organization, personally mentored by Iran’s Quds Force Commander General Qassim Suleimani, the most powerful Commander of the Quds force; Iran’s Special Forces created to project its power by training army in strategies of combat and covert action. In September 2013, Fars reported that, “the relationship between Jihad and General Suleimani went beyond a simple relationship of a young man with his father’s friend; they were often mistaken for father and son.” He was also very close to Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nassrallah, his father’s replacement Mustafa Badriddine. After his father’s death, Sayyed Hassan Nassrallah and General Qassim Suleimani will be remembered as Jihad’s spiritual fathers.

Since his father’s death, Jihad appeared at memorial events held by Hezbollah. In 2013, he was seen together with General Qassim Suleimani, in a visit to Iran, which Jihad made to express his condolences for the death of Suleimani’s mother, which shows the friendship they shared.

Jihad became a senior commander of Hezbollah despite his young age, and the fact that he pledged allegiance to the main leader of this group strengthened the resolve of the organization.

Internationally recognized as Syrian territory, the Golan Height has been occupied by Israel in 1967 during the six-day war establishing the Purple line. The Purple line was a cease-fire line between Israel and Syria after the 1967 six-day war. During the Syrian civil war, Hezbollah entered the war in support of the Syrian Army. Hezbollah was able to develop a footing in Golan Heights with the help of Syria and Iran, and conducted an important base in that area. Jihad Mugniyeh was in charge of Hezbollah base in Golan Heights along with Samir Kuntar. (Samir Kuntar was a Druze member of the Palestine Liberation Front. After his release from prison as a part of 2008 Israel-Hezbollah prisoner exchange, he received the Syrian order of merit medal honored by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad).

Hezbollah also brought various defense lines in that region, and deployed nearly thousands of people on those lines in order to prevent the passing of Sunni fundamentalist in Lebanon through Syria.

The Israeli newspaper “Haaretz” has claimed in their report that the 107mm Katyusha rockets were fired from the region of Golan Heights towards the Israelis during Israel’s war on Gaza, they suspected the presence of Hezbollah in that area.
The presence of Martyr Jihad Mugniyeh in the region of Golan Heights was also reported by CNN website, as follows; in an interview conducted by a member of the Syrian opposition delegation, which was led by National Assembly, reported that the FSA’s military intelligence agency has obtained information, which indicates that Hezbollah has put Jihad in charge for Golan Heights. The Syrian opposition figures also mentioned that Hezbollah had a very strong foothold in that region which helped them to dominate the strategic area of “Tal Al Hara” (Tal Al Hara is less than 20 km from the Israeli controlled Golan Heights). The data also suggests that Hezbollah affiliated centers had special facilities that could link them to the units stationed on the borders of Golan Heights. The importance of this region intensified since the armed opposition was able to gain control of that area and got access to the passage of Quneitra and Tal Al Hara, which had a devastating impact on the regions map. Hezbollah was able to take control of those areas by pushing back the Syrian opposition forces strategically.
On Sunday afternoon 18 January 2015, this also marked the anniversary of the 22-day war that Israel had waged on Gaza and faced failure. Jihad along with a group of Hezbollah fighters was assassinated in a targeted air strike by Israeli helicopter, while they were on a field inspection in Quneitra in the Syrian Golan Heights, just a few hundred meters from internationally recognized ceasefire line separating Syria from Israeli occupied Golan Heights.

The annals of resistance abound with sacrifices; there are no limits until the goal is achieved. Liberation and victory, for the sake of which everything is easy; as the aspired goal makes up for the losses and the endeavors. Jihad sought to obtain the title of rightful heir to a path, which obviously ended with the grand prize of martyrdom. He was put to rest on top of his father Martyr Emad Mugniyeh in the same grave.

Family memories will last forever 

Fatima Emad Mugniyeh sister of Jihad Mugniyeh, in the first interview with a media outlet since the Zionist entity assassinated her father Emad Mugniyeh in Syria in 2008. (Al- Manar website).

“I do resemble my father a lot, even Jihad did,” she told us when we visited her house in the Lebanese capital of Beirut. “You have led me to search among my memories,” Fatima muttered as she was searching her room for a souvenir from her father. She took a picture of her family when she was a child and said; “ Jihad was the blond boy,” pointing at her younger brother martyr Jihad, who was killed in the latest Zionist aggression on the Lebanese Resistance when the enemy targeted a Hezbollah envoy in Syria’s Quneitra and killed seven fighters, including an Iranian General.

Fatima went on to say that, their relationship with their father Emad Mugniyeh was strategic and tactical, without being limited to the daily details of each other’s life. “My younger brother Martyr Jihad also used to say that if our father were still alive, he would have been very happy about how mature and aware we have become, she recalled, explaining that her brother Jihad and she herself were less mature when her father Emad died, especially Jihad.

Fatima assured that the martyrdom did not separate her from father martyr Emad, or from her brother martyr Jihad. “I feel them everyday…. They are alive and I am sure of it.”
“I was feeling safety in their presence as much as I still feel it in their absence.” Fatima confirmed, stressing that, “Our enemy is the one who will lack tranquility.” Interviewed by, “Somayya Ali”

Muqtada Sadr expresses grieve on the martyrdom of Martyr Jihad Mugniyeh

The revolutionary cleric, Muqtada Al Sadr, is one of the most influential religious and popular figures in Iraq. He is the fourth son of a famous Iraqi Shia cleric, the late Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Sadiq Al Sadar. He is also the son in law of Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Baqir Al Sadr. Muqtada is a cousin of the disappeared Musa Al Sadr, the Iranian- Lebanese founder of the popular Amal movement.
Muqtada Al Sadr expressed his condolences for the leader of the Hezbollah, Jihad Mugniyeh’s martyrdom in an Israeli raid in the Syrian Golan Heights. He stressed that the martyrdom of Jihad will light up the path of “jihad” against the Israelis, pointing out that his blood will be the beginning of the demise of the “state of absolute evil.”
Jihad’s martyrdom, will light the path for those struggling against evil and will serve as a beacon for all the fighters fighting oppression.