Jerusalem: Israel has claimed a major blow to Hezbollah’s leadership, announcing that a precision airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs has killed senior commander Haytham Ali Tabatabai, described as one of the organisation’s most important military figures since last year’s conflict, according to media reports.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said Tabatabai acted as Hezbollah’s de facto chief of staff, positioned just below Secretary-General Naim Qassem in the Iran-backed group’s hierarchy. Hezbollah has so far issued no confirmation or comment on the reported strike or his fate.
The IDF said the targeted strike took place in Dahieh, a densely populated Hezbollah stronghold in south Beirut that Israel frequently describes as a hub of the group’s military operations. The military characterised Tabatabai as a “long-serving and central operative”, noting that his involvement with Hezbollah dated back to the 1980s.
Over the years, Tabatabai is reported to have held several key military roles, including command of the elite Radwan Force, oversight of Hezbollah units deployed in Syria, and senior positions linked to cross-border operations. Israeli intelligence assessments have long regarded him as one of Hezbollah’s most strategically significant commanders, the reports said.
During the 2024 Israel–Hezbollah war, Tabatabai was appointed head of the group’s operations division, placing him at the core of battlefield planning. According to the IDF, he supervised situational assessments, coordinated force deployments and helped shape major combat directives throughout the fighting.
As the conflict wore on and other senior Hezbollah leaders were killed, Tabatabai is believed to have taken on broader authority, emerging as the principal commander directing military engagements against Israel in the final stages of the war. Following the ceasefire in November 2024, he was formally named Hezbollah’s military chief of staff, tasked with rebuilding its command structure, reorganising units and reinforcing its weakened military capabilities, the IDF claimed.
Israeli officials cited in the reports described Sunday’s strike as a significant operational achievement, arguing that Tabatabai’s removal would have a lasting impact on Hezbollah’s long-term strategic planning and readiness.
(Inputs from IANS)