Israel launched an airstrike on Beirut on Sunday, its first in the Lebanese capital since June, killing Haytham Tabtabai, a senior Hezbollah official and the group’s chief of staff. The strike, which killed five and wounded 25, marks a significant escalation nearly a year after a ceasefire ended the latest Israel-Hezbollah war.
Hezbollah confirmed Tabtabai’s death. He was a key figure in the organization, leading its elite Radwan Unit and being designated a terrorist by the U.S., which had offered a reward for information on him. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Tabtabai of leading Hezbollah’s efforts to rearm.
The strike comes amid intensified Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon and just days before a scheduled visit by Pope Leo XIV. While Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed to “act forcefully,” the military did not anticipate an immediate retaliation, instructing residents in northern Israel to continue their routines.
Hezbollah has largely refrained from attacking Israel since the ceasefire. The killing of Tabtabai, who was the apparent successor to much of the group’s decimated senior leadership, now poses a critical test for the fragile truce
By James Kisoo
