Israel has confirmed the targeted killing of Hezbollah’s top military commander, Haytham Ali Tabatabai, in an airstrike on an apartment building in the southern Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh.
The attack, which occurred in the Haret Hreik area, resulted in at least five fatalities and wounded 28 others, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health. The strike marks the most senior Hezbollah figure to be killed by Israel since the recent ceasefire that ended over a year of hostilities in November 2024.
Hezbollah has acknowledged Tabatabai’s death, describing him as “the great commander,” though without specifying his exact role within the group.
The Israeli military stated that Tabatabai was “eliminated” in the strike, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirming he was the intended target. Israeli media reports indicated that this was the third attempt to kill him since last year’s conflict.
Hezbollah officials condemned the strike, with senior official Mahmoud Qmati warning that the attack crossed a “red line” and could lead to further escalation across Lebanon. Hezbollah MP Ali Ammar accused Israel of “striking all of Lebanon” since the ceasefire brokered by the United States nearly a year ago.
Born in 1968 in Beirut to a Lebanese mother and Iranian father, Tabatabai had a long history with Hezbollah, joining the group at the age of 12. His death comes just days before Pope Leo XIV’s scheduled visit to Lebanon amid growing tensions and Israeli military actions in the region.
