Israel has killed a senior Hezbollah commander in an airstrike near Beirut on Sunday, sharply escalating tensions despite a year-old ceasefire mediated by the United States. The Israeli military identified the target as Haytham Ali Tabatabai, Hezbollah’s military chief of staff and one of the most important figures in the organisation’s hierarchy. Hezbollah confirmed his death, hailing him as a “martyr and a pre-eminent commander”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tabatabai had been leading efforts to rebuild Hezbollah after it suffered heavy losses during the war with Israel. According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, two missiles struck a residential building in the crowded Dahiyeh district in southern Beirut, a traditional Hezbollah stronghold. The strike focused on the Haret Hreik neighbourhood and caused extensive damage to vehicles and surrounding structures. Netanyahu’s office said Tabatabai was the specific target of the attack. Israeli officials added that the strike had been authorised by the prime minister after recommendations from the defence minister and the chief of army staff. It was reportedly Israel’s third attempt to kill Tabatabai since the previous year’s conflict.
Lebanese authorities said at least five people were killed in the attack and 28 others wounded. The victims included Ibrahim Ali Hussein, Rifaat Ahmed Hussein, Mustafa Asaad Barrou and Qassem Hussein Barjawi. This was the first Israeli strike on Beirut in months and it immediately raised fears of a broader confrontation.
Tabatabai was widely regarded as Hezbollah’s top military commander and effectively the chief of staff of its armed wing. Some accounts described him as the group’s second in command. Born in Beirut in 1968 to a Lebanese mother and an Iranian father, he grew up in southern Lebanon. He joined Hezbollah in the 1980s.
Over the years, Tabatabai held a series of senior posts. He served in the Radwan Force, Hezbollah’s elite combat unit, and became a seasoned commander with experience in Syria and Yemen. He oversaw the deployment of fighters, equipment and training operations that supported the group’s regional ambitions. During the war with Israel between October 2023 and November 2024, he led Hezbollah’s operations division. He rose rapidly after several high-ranking commanders were killed. Following the US-brokered truce in late 2024, he was appointed chief of staff and worked intensively to rebuild the group’s military readiness. He had survived earlier assassination attempts in both Syria and Lebanon.
The United States designated him a terrorist in 2016 and imposed sanctions. It also offered a $5 million reward for information about him. His killing is considered to be the most significant loss for Hezbollah since the ceasefire took effect, putting the group in a strategic dilemma. It will have to balance the risk of appearing weak with the danger of triggering a larger Israeli response. Such a retaliation could easily lead to another Israel-Lebanon war and could undermine its support among Lebanese civilians. Observers say Hezbollah may not want to offer Netanyahu an excuse for a larger war, which could serve his political interests.
Hezbollah officials were quick to react. Senior figure Mahmoud Qmati said the strike had crossed a red line and warned that it could open the door to escalation across Lebanon. Hezbollah MP Ali Ammar condemned the attack as an assault on Lebanon’s sovereignty and dignity. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun appealed to the international community to intervene and halt Israeli operations. He argued that the strike violated the agreement that ended 13 months of conflict. Netanyahu said Lebanon must uphold its commitment to disarm Hezbollah.
The attack took place shortly before Pope Leo XIV was due to visit Lebanon, placing additional international scrutiny on developments. Israeli officials said the operation was a response to Hezbollah’s recurring violations of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the 2024 ceasefire understandings. The Israeli foreign ministry said the group’s ongoing activities represented a clear breach of international commitments and posed a danger to Israel.
“Israel will not allow Hezbollah to rebuild its military capabilities and once again threaten the security of Israel and its citizens,” said the ministry in a statement. “The organisation’s aggressive actions constitute a clear violation of international obligations and agreements.”