The Israeli army announced on Saturday that it carried out a precise raid targeting Hezbollah “number two” operative in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
The initial toll stands at one dead and 21 wounded in the attack, according to a statement from the Health Ministry’s Emergency Operations Center.
According to Israeli Channel 14, the target was Haitham Tabatabai, described as Hezbollah’s second in command after Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem and the group’s chief of staff. Israeli media report that Tabatabai effectively assumed military leadership following a series of assassinations targeting several senior party officials.
The reports add that in recent years, he led Hezbollah’s elite forces and, last year, together with Mohammad Haidar, oversaw efforts to rebuild and strengthen the group’s military capabilities. Israeli media noted, “This is the third time we have targeted a site where he was present.”
Preliminary information indicates that Tabatabai was born to an Iranian father and Lebanese mother and resides in Lebanon. Haitham Ali Tabatabai, a former commander of the Radwan Force—Hezbollah’s special unit active in Syria and Yemen—is on the U.S. wanted list, with a $5 million reward offered for information leading to his capture.
Channel 12 reported that the strike against the Hezbollah officer in southern Beirut was coordinated with the United States.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirms that the strike in Beirut targeted Tabatabai.
“A short while ago, the Israeli struck, in the heart of Beirut, the Hezbollah chief of staff who led the organization’s military buildup and armament efforts,” says the PMO.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered the strike on the recommendation of the defense minister and the Israeli army chief of staff,” continues the statement.
“Israel is determined to act to achieve its goals, in any place and at any time.”
Another Strike in Aita al-Shaab Leaves One Dead
Earlier in the day, an Israeli drone fired a guided missile at a car in Aita al-Shaab, in the Bint Jbeil district. According to the Ministry of Health Emergency Operations Center, the attack killed one person.
The victim, Mohammad Saleh, a former Lebanese detainee, was targeted while driving in the al-Rajem neighborhood, where he was collecting materials for renovating his home, according to local sources.
Intense Drone Activity in the South
Israeli drones were reported conducting intensive flights over several towns in eastern Tyre, extending to villages in the western sector and Hermel, at very low altitude. Another Israeli drone reportedly dropped a stun grenade over the town of al-Adaysseh.
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