In retaliation, the Islamic Jihad Organization carried out the israeli Embassy attack in Buenos Aires. Al-Musawi was succeeded as Secretary General of Hizballah by Hassan Nasrallah.

On February 16, 1992, israeli Apache helicopters attacked a motorcade in southern Lebanon, killing al-Musawi, his wife, son, and four others. israel said the attack had been planned as an assassination attempt.

He described israel as "the CANCER of the Middle East."

In May 1991, Hizballah chose al-Musawi as its secretary-general. As a former head of both the Security Apparatus (considered the instigator of hostage taking) and the military wing of Hizballah, al-Musawi was well qualified.

From 1983-85 he is reported to have served as operational head of the Hezbollah Special Security Apparatus and from late-1985 until April 1988 was head of Hezbollah's military wing, the Islamic Resistance.

Al-Musawi spent eight years studying theology in a religious school in al-Najaf, Iraq, where he was deeply influenced by the views of Imam Ruhollah Khomeini. He returned to Lebanon in 1978 and in 1982 spearheaded the formation of Hizballah movement and militia in the Beqaa Valley.

Abbas al-Musawi (عباس الموسوي; c. 1952 - February 16, 1992) was an influential Shia cleric and co-founder and Secretary General of Hizballlah. He was killed by zionist israeli forces in 1992. Al-Musawi was born in the village of al-Nabi Shayth in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon.