BEIRUT: Israeli forces have claimed responsibility for killing Hezbollah’s Chief of Staff, Ali Tabbatabai, in an airstrike carried out in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
Israel continues to violate the ceasefire in both Gaza and Lebanon, launching fresh aerial assaults in Beirut. According to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health, the Israeli strike resulted in five fatalities and 28 injuries.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the target of the operation was Haitham Ali Tabbatabai, also known as Ali Tabbatabai, a senior Hezbollah commander.
Ali Tabbatabai was regarded as the second most important figure in Hezbollah’s hierarchy after Secretary-General Na’im Qassem. The Israeli military confirmed his killing, describing him as a seasoned leader who joined Hezbollah in the 1980s and held several key positions over the decades.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), after many Hezbollah leaders were successfully targeted in the ongoing conflict, operational command against Israel had effectively shifted to Tabbatabai.
He was officially appointed Chief of Staff in November 2024 following the end of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. The IDF claims he had been overseeing the group’s organizational restructuring.
Hezbollah, however, has not yet confirmed whether Haitham Ali Tabbatabai was injured or killed in the attack.
A senior U.S. official stated that Israel did not notify Washington prior to the strike. Another U.S. official noted that the U.S. was aware for several days that Israel intended to intensify operations in Lebanon.
According to international media reports, the U.S. had imposed sanctions on Tabbatabai in 2016 and announced a reward of up to $5 million for information on him.