BEIRUT: Israel has announced that it killed the chief of staff of Hezbollah in an airstrike on an apartment building in Beirut on Sunday. The attack is being described by the group as a serious escalation.
According to Lebanon’s health ministry, the airstrike resulted in the deaths of five people and injured 28 others. The strike occurred in the Haret Hreik neighborhood, a heavily populated area in the southern suburbs of Beirut where Hezbollah is influential.
The Israeli military confirmed that they targeted and eliminated Haytham Ali Tabatabai, whom they identified as Hezbollah’s chief of general staff. This incident marks the fifth Israeli strike in these southern suburbs since a ceasefire was established in November 2024 after a year-long conflict. Notably, the strike comes just a week before Pope Leo XIV is set to visit Lebanon.
Despite the attack, the Israeli military stated that it remains “committed” to maintaining the ceasefire.
Hezbollah acknowledged that a senior commander was targeted but did not officially confirm any deaths. A Hezbollah official, Mahmud Qomati, remarked that the strike clearly aimed at a key figure within their ranks and stated that the situation following the attack was still unclear.
