Beirut Airstrike: Israeli Military Claims Hezbollah Chief of Staff Killed in Attack
Tensions between Israel and its arch-nemesis Hezbollah have soared after an airstrike in Beirut's southern suburbs killed the group's chief of staff, Haytham Ali Tabatabai. The Israeli military announced that Tabatabai was killed in a strike on the Haret Hreik area, a densely populated Hezbollah stronghold.
The attack has left at least five people dead and 28 wounded, according to Lebanon's health ministry. Videos from the scene show damaged buildings and signs of destruction. Hezbollah confirmed Tabatabai's death, describing him as "the great commander" who was killed in an Israeli "treacherous attack".
The strike has dramatically escalated tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, which has been accused of planning to revive its military capabilities in Lebanon's southern hills near the border with Israel. The Israeli government has launched a series of airstrikes in the region, citing a need to prevent Hezbollah from rearming.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his cabinet that he would continue to fight "terrorism" and ensure that Hezbollah could not threaten Israel's security. His office described Tabatabai as the leader of Hezbollah's buildup and rearmament efforts, claiming that Israel was determined to achieve its objectives everywhere and at all times.
However, a senior US official stated that Israel did not notify Washington in advance about the strike, which has raised concerns about transparency and cooperation between the two governments. A second senior official said that the Trump administration had been aware of plans to escalate strikes in Lebanon for days.
Tabatabai's death is likely to have significant implications for regional stability, given his extensive experience leading elite Hezbollah fighters in Syria and Yemen. He was also thought to have tutored Houthi forces in Yemen, which has close ties with Iran. The attack on Tabatabai comes as tensions between Israel and Lebanon have been escalating in recent weeks.
Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun called on the international community to intervene firmly to stop Israeli attacks on his country, describing them as "attacks on Lebanon and its people". The situation remains volatile, with many experts warning of a potential flashpoint in the region.
Tensions between Israel and its arch-nemesis Hezbollah have soared after an airstrike in Beirut's southern suburbs killed the group's chief of staff, Haytham Ali Tabatabai. The Israeli military announced that Tabatabai was killed in a strike on the Haret Hreik area, a densely populated Hezbollah stronghold.
The attack has left at least five people dead and 28 wounded, according to Lebanon's health ministry. Videos from the scene show damaged buildings and signs of destruction. Hezbollah confirmed Tabatabai's death, describing him as "the great commander" who was killed in an Israeli "treacherous attack".
The strike has dramatically escalated tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, which has been accused of planning to revive its military capabilities in Lebanon's southern hills near the border with Israel. The Israeli government has launched a series of airstrikes in the region, citing a need to prevent Hezbollah from rearming.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his cabinet that he would continue to fight "terrorism" and ensure that Hezbollah could not threaten Israel's security. His office described Tabatabai as the leader of Hezbollah's buildup and rearmament efforts, claiming that Israel was determined to achieve its objectives everywhere and at all times.
However, a senior US official stated that Israel did not notify Washington in advance about the strike, which has raised concerns about transparency and cooperation between the two governments. A second senior official said that the Trump administration had been aware of plans to escalate strikes in Lebanon for days.
Tabatabai's death is likely to have significant implications for regional stability, given his extensive experience leading elite Hezbollah fighters in Syria and Yemen. He was also thought to have tutored Houthi forces in Yemen, which has close ties with Iran. The attack on Tabatabai comes as tensions between Israel and Lebanon have been escalating in recent weeks.
Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun called on the international community to intervene firmly to stop Israeli attacks on his country, describing them as "attacks on Lebanon and its people". The situation remains volatile, with many experts warning of a potential flashpoint in the region.
Beirut is literally burning rn 
I was watching this news and my heart just dropped when i heard they killed the Hezbollah chief of staff Haytham Ali Tabatabai 
like what a tragic loss for the ppl of Lebanon 
I cant even imagine how scary it must be to live in a war zone 
and now tensions between Israel & Lebanon are at an all time high 
im not surprised tho cuz these countries have been enemies for ages 
anyway, can we pls talk about something else? 
this is just too sad 
. and now the whole situation is getting super volatile, i'm not sure what's gonna happen next. and let's be real, Haytham Ali Tabatabai was a key figure in Hezbollah, so his death is definitely gonna have big implications for the region 
. it's like, one wrong move from either side and we're looking at another huge conflict 
. i'm not sure what's driving Israel to do this, but if they're really after 'terrorism' then maybe they should focus on addressing the root causes rather than just throwing bombs around 
.
. And what's up with Netanyahu's "terrorism" rhetoric? Sounds like someone's trying to stir the pot 
It raises concerns about what other's going on and how the US and Israel are working together (or not) 
. Plus, Hezbollah is gonna be like "this is a big deal" because Haytham Ali Tabatabai was their chief of staff 
Will we see more airstrikes and who will get hurt next? 
Lebanon needs international help ASAP 
. Can't the ppl of Beirut feel safe anywhere anymore? 
This airstrike is super scary for Beirut, I'm worried about what's gonna happen next 
. It's not good for the region or anyone involved 
. The international community needs to step in and help stabilize things before they get even worse 
with Israel. It feels like we're witnessing a powder keg situation 
The US should be like, "Hey Israel, let's cool down for a sec before taking any more actions" 
. This whole thing is super complicated 
. Can't we all just get along? 
I mean, I'm not saying it's not a big deal or anything, but come on, five people dead and 28 wounded? It's all just a bunch of escalation and counter-escalation between Israel and Hezbollah. When are we going to see some actual progress? 
Like that's ever gonna happen. This is just a bunch of politicians talking out of both sides of their mouths while innocent people get caught in the crossfire. 
The real question is when are we going to see some actual change? Not more airstrikes, not more rhetoric... just actual progress.