Hezbollah confirms top commander Ali Tabatabai killed in Israeli strike in Beirut

ISTANBUL

Hezbollah confirmed Sunday evening that its senior commander, Ali Tabatabai, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.

In a statement, Hezbollah mourned Tabatabai as “a key military commander.”

The group also reported that four of its members were killed in the Israeli airstrike.

The Israeli army said early Sunday that it had eliminated Tabatabai in a strike targeting Beirut’s southern suburb despite a ceasefire deal that has been in place since November 2024.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he ordered the strike on the recommendation of Defense Minister Israel Katz and Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, accusing Tabatabai of leading “the buildup and armament” of Hezbollah.

The Lebanese Health Ministry said that five people were killed and 28 others injured in the attack.

Israel has carried out multiple strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut since the ceasefire, most recently in June.

Tensions in southern Lebanon have been mounting for weeks, with the Israeli military intensifying near-daily air raids inside Lebanese territory, claiming to target Hezbollah members and infrastructure.

According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, 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) also reported more than 10,000 Israeli air and ground violations.

Under the ceasefire, the Israeli army was supposed to withdraw from southern Lebanon this January, but instead only partially pulled out and continues to maintain a military presence at five border outposts.