A powerful Israeli airstrike hit a residential building in Beirut on Sunday, killing a senior Hezbollah military commander and several others in one of the most significant incidents since last year’s temporary halt in hostilities. Both the Israeli military and Hezbollah confirmed that Haytham Ali Tabatabai, a high-ranking field commander, died in the strike.
Lebanese emergency officials reported that five people were killed and at least 28 others wounded when the missile struck an apartment block in Haret Hreik, a crowded neighborhood in the capital’s southern suburbs. The area is widely known as a political and logistical stronghold for Hezbollah, and past conflicts have seen it repeatedly targeted.
Authorities did not immediately release the names of the civilians who died, citing ongoing identification efforts. Hours after the blast, Hezbollah announced that four of its fighters were among the dead, describing Tabatabai as a key operational leader. His death marks the most senior loss for the group since a ceasefire was reached in November 2024 after more than a year of near-daily exchanges of fire along the Lebanon-Israel border.
Israeli Leadership Defends the Operation
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strike demonstrated Israel’s resolve to prevent what he described as Hezbollah’s efforts to rebuild military capacity.
“Israel will not allow Hezbollah to rebuild its power,” he said on Sunday, calling on Lebanon’s government to enforce existing obligations under international resolutions that call for armed groups to be disarmed. Israeli officials did not release further operational details but described the target as a direct threat.
Scene of Destruction in Beirut
Residents reported hearing a loud explosion just after sunset, followed by thick plumes of smoke rising over the capital. Local civil defense teams worked through the night, pulling survivors from shattered apartments and evacuating nearby buildings damaged by the blast wave. Video from the scene showed overturned vehicles, broken glass scattered across narrow streets, and crowds of residents attempting to locate missing relatives.
Lebanon’s health ministry said hospitals in the capital activated emergency protocols as ambulances transported the wounded from the neighborhood, which is home to thousands of families and commercial businesses.
A Critical Moment in a Fragile Truce
The killing of Tabatabai comes at a tense period for the region. The November 2024 ceasefire reduced cross-border attacks but did not resolve deeper disputes between the sides. Analysts say the strike could pressure Hezbollah to respond militarily, raising the risk of a rapid escalation.
The group did not immediately indicate how it would react, but previous assassinations of senior commanders have often triggered retaliatory fire along the frontier. Lebanese officials expressed concern that further confrontations could worsen an already severe domestic crisis, as the country struggles with economic collapse and political paralysis.
International Calls for Restraint
Diplomatic missions in Beirut urged all parties to avoid actions that could destabilize the situation. UN peacekeepers stationed in southern Lebanon said they were monitoring developments closely and called the strike a “dangerous setback” to efforts aimed at preventing renewed conflict.
For residents of Haret Hreik, Sunday’s explosion revived memories of earlier wars that left large parts of the neighborhood in ruins. By nightfall, emergency crews were still clearing debris as families searched for belongings in damaged homes.
As investigations continue and tension rises on both sides of the border, officials and civilians alike are bracing for what comes next in a conflict that remains far from resolved.
