Israel carried out one of its most significant strikes inside Beirut in years, killing Hezbollah’s deputy chief and senior military commander, Ali Tabatabai, in an operation that penetrated deep into the Lebanese capital’s southern suburbs.
The strike marks the first major Israeli attack since the November 2024 ceasefire and the first targeted killing of a senior Hezbollah figure during this period. It is also the fifth Israeli strike on the Beirut area since the agreement aimed at halting a year-long conflict. The escalation comes just a week ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s scheduled visit to Lebanon.
Background: A Key Figure in Hezbollah’s “Second Generation”
Ali Tabatabai, born to an Iranian father and Lebanese mother, was part of Hezbollah’s “second generation” of fighters rather than its founding cadre. He became a central figure in the group’s overseas military deployments, operating extensively in Syria and Yemen to support allied forces.
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According to the Israeli military, Tabatabai joined Hezbollah in the 1980s and later held prominent posts, including leading the Radwan Force, the organization’s elite combat unit.
International Designation and Influence
The U.S. State Department designated Tabatabai a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in 2016, placing a $5 million bounty on information about him. Washington accused him of overseeing Hezbollah’s Radwan Force operations across Syria and Yemen.
Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office said Tabatabai was instrumental in enhancing the group’s military capabilities, particularly by directing its rearmament efforts. During last year’s war, he headed the organization’s operations division, rising in rank as several senior commanders were eliminated.
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Hezbollah Confirms Death
Hezbollah confirmed the killing of senior commander Haytham Ali Tabatabai in what it described as a “treacherous Israeli attack” on Beirut’s Haret Hreik area. While the group acknowledged his death, it did not specify his official position.
