An Israeli airstrike in Beirut has killed Haytham Ali Tabatabai, a senior commander in Hezbollah, who was said to be the group’s second-in-command. The attack, confirmed by both Hezbollah and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), resulted in at least five deaths and 28 injuries, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. Tabatabai, who joined Hezbollah as a teenager during the group’s formation in 1982, was one of the few long-serving commanders to survive Israel’s targeted-killings campaign last year.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the strike, calling it part of Israel’s ongoing efforts to dismantle Hezbollah, which it accuses of terrorism. Netanyahu referenced the US’s 2016 bounty of $5 million on Tabatabai’s head, a reward issued after he escaped an earlier Israeli assassination attempt. Israeli officials stated that Tabatabai had been overseeing Hezbollah’s rearmament efforts following the group’s setbacks, including the detonation of booby-trapped pagers that Israeli intelligence had infiltrated into the movement’s supply channels.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the attack, calling on the international community to ‘assume its responsibility and intervene firmly and seriously to stop the attacks on Lebanon and its people.’ The incident has intensified regional tensions, with Hezbollah and Israel continuing their proxy conflict in Lebanon. Analysts suggest that the strike may further escalate hostilities, as Hezbollah is known for its determination to resist Israeli military actions.
The attack underscores the ongoing cycle of violence between Israel and Hezbollah, with both sides seeking to advance their strategic objectives in the region. As the situation continues to evolve, the international community faces growing pressure to address the humanitarian impact and find a path toward de-escalation.