BEIRUT: Hezbollah confirmed late Sunday that one of its senior military commanders, Ali Tabatabai, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a southern suburb of Beirut, marking one of the most significant targeted killings since last year’s ceasefire.
In a statement, the group described Tabatabai as “a key military commander,” adding that four other Hezbollah members were also killed in the strike.
The Israeli military said earlier on Sunday that it had killed Tabatabai in a precision strike despite the ceasefire agreement in effect since November 2024. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he approved the operation on the recommendation of Defense Minister Israel Katz and Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, accusing Tabatabai of overseeing Hezbollah’s “buildup and armament.”
Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that five people were killed and 28 others wounded in the attack.
Israel has carried out several strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs since the ceasefire, most recently in June, while tensions along the border have escalated in recent weeks. The Israeli army has intensified near-daily raids inside Lebanese territory, claiming to target Hezbollah fighters and infrastructure.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry says at least 331 people have been killed and 945 injured by Israeli fire since the ceasefire took effect on Nov. 27, 2024.
The UN peacekeeping mission (UNIFIL) has also documented more than 10,000 Israeli air and ground violations during the same period.
Under the ceasefire terms, Israel was required to withdraw from southern Lebanon in January, but has only partially pulled back and continues to maintain a presence at five border outposts.
Analysts warn that Israel’s near-daily attacks not only undermine the ceasefire framework but also escalate regional instability, openly disregarding UN mandates designed to prevent cross-border hostilities.
