A senior commander of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, Haytham Ali Tabatabai, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut on Sunday. Tabatabai, also known as Abu Ali Tabatabai, was struck in the Haret Hreik district, a stronghold of Hezbollah in the Lebanese capital. The attack, which was confirmed by both Hezbollah and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), resulted in the deaths of at least five people and injured 28 others, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
Tabatabai had joined Hezbollah as a teenager after its formation during Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon. He was one of the few long-serving commanders to survive Israel’s targeted-killing campaign last year. Israeli officials described Tabatabai as the group’s “second-in-command” within its current military hierarchy, while Hezbollah referred to him as a “great commander.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the strike, stating that it was part of Israel’s ongoing efforts to destroy the group, which it accuses of terrorism. Netanyahu noted that the US had put a bounty of $5 million on Tabatabai’s head in 2016, a year after he escaped an earlier Israeli assassination attempt. The prime minister claimed that Tabatabai had been overseeing Hezbollah’s rearmament efforts as the organization worked to rebuild its capabilities following a string of setbacks by Israel.
The killing of Tabatabai has been condemned by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who called on the international community to intervene and stop the attacks on Lebanon and its people. The incident highlights the ongoing tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, which is among the Iran-backed forces opposing Israel’s regional dominance. Netanyahu argued that dismantling the organization would enable “a better future… for every citizen in Lebanon.”
Hezbollah’s role in the region and its relationship with Iran have been a subject of concern for Israel and other countries. The group’s military capabilities and activities have been targeted by Israel in recent years, resulting in a series of setbacks for the organization. The killing of Tabatabai is likely to escalate tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, and may have significant implications for the region.