Hezbollah Chief of Staff Killed in Airstrike in Beirut, Israel Claims.
A devastating airstrike in Beirut's southern suburbs has claimed the life of Haytham Ali Tabatabai, the chief of staff of Hezbollah, according to Israeli military officials. The attack occurred just hours after a meeting between the Israeli Prime Minister and his cabinet, during which Netanyahu vowed to continue fighting "terrorism" on multiple fronts.
Eyewitnesses describe the area as a densely populated Hezbollah stronghold, with damaged buildings visible in videos released by the group. At least five people were killed, while 28 others were injured in the strike, which also destroyed several buildings.
The Israeli military claims that the target was Tabatabai's position within the group, and that Israel is determined to "achieve its objectives everywhere and at all times." The IDF insisted on Sunday evening that it remains committed to the ceasefire agreement.
However, a senior US official has revealed that Israel did not notify Washington in advance about the strike, sparking concerns over the lack of communication between the two governments. Another senior official had warned that Washington was aware of Israel's plans to escalate strikes in Lebanon for days prior to the attack.
Tabatabai, 58, is believed to have been leading elite Hezbollah fighters in support of Bashar al-Assad in Syria and has ties with Iran through his connections with Houthi forces in Yemen. The US imposed sanctions on him a year ago, labeling him as the commander of the group's special forces in Syria and Yemen.
The attack comes almost exactly one year after a ceasefire ended 14 months of clashes between Israel and Hezbollah. Lebanon's president has called for international intervention to stop Israeli attacks on his country, while Israeli officials have downplayed the incident, insisting that they remain committed to the ceasefire agreement.
A devastating airstrike in Beirut's southern suburbs has claimed the life of Haytham Ali Tabatabai, the chief of staff of Hezbollah, according to Israeli military officials. The attack occurred just hours after a meeting between the Israeli Prime Minister and his cabinet, during which Netanyahu vowed to continue fighting "terrorism" on multiple fronts.
Eyewitnesses describe the area as a densely populated Hezbollah stronghold, with damaged buildings visible in videos released by the group. At least five people were killed, while 28 others were injured in the strike, which also destroyed several buildings.
The Israeli military claims that the target was Tabatabai's position within the group, and that Israel is determined to "achieve its objectives everywhere and at all times." The IDF insisted on Sunday evening that it remains committed to the ceasefire agreement.
However, a senior US official has revealed that Israel did not notify Washington in advance about the strike, sparking concerns over the lack of communication between the two governments. Another senior official had warned that Washington was aware of Israel's plans to escalate strikes in Lebanon for days prior to the attack.
Tabatabai, 58, is believed to have been leading elite Hezbollah fighters in support of Bashar al-Assad in Syria and has ties with Iran through his connections with Houthi forces in Yemen. The US imposed sanctions on him a year ago, labeling him as the commander of the group's special forces in Syria and Yemen.
The attack comes almost exactly one year after a ceasefire ended 14 months of clashes between Israel and Hezbollah. Lebanon's president has called for international intervention to stop Israeli attacks on his country, while Israeli officials have downplayed the incident, insisting that they remain committed to the ceasefire agreement.