Israeli forces carried out a high-precision strike in Beirut on Sunday, killing senior Hezbollah commander Haytham Ali Tabatabai. The Israel Defense Forces said Tabatabai served as Hezbollah’s de facto chief of staff and led the elite Radwan Unit, which planned operations and cross-border attacks on Israel. The strike hit the heart of the Lebanese capital and targeted what officials described as a central figure in Hezbollah’s military buildup and rearmament.
Tabatabai was born in 1968 in Beirut to an Iranian father and a Lebanese mother. He joined Hezbollah at the age of 12 and rose steadily through its ranks. Israel first attempted to kill him in 2015 during a strike in southern Syria that killed Jihad Mughniyeh, the son of Hezbollah commander Imad Mughniyeh. He gained increased prominence in late 2024 after a wave of Israeli strikes eliminated several top Hezbollah leaders. The United States listed him as a terrorist in 2016 and offered a $5 million reward for information on him.
Hezbollah confirmed that a top leader was targeted but withheld the name. Lebanese officials said the strike killed five people and wounded at least 28 in a crowded civilian neighborhood. Israeli leaders stated that they will continue operations to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its military threat.
