Israel has killed senior Hezbollah commander Haytham Ali Tabatabai in an airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs, the group confirmed Sunday. 

The strike targeted Tabatabai’s apartment in the Dahiyeh district. Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported that two missiles hit the building on al-Arid Street in Haret Hreik, causing significant damage to cars and surrounding structures. According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, the attack killed four others and injured 28.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said Tabatabai was Hezbollah’s Chief of General Staff and had previously commanded the Radwan Force, the group’s elite special operations unit.

“Tabatabai played a key role in expanding Hezbollah’s operational and military capacities, developing the Radwan Unit, and serving as a significant source of knowledge and influence within the organization,” the military said. 

🔴 ELIMINATED: Haytham Ali Tabatabai, Hezbollah’s Chief of General Staff, in the Beirut area.

Tabatabai, a veteran operative since the 1980s, commanded the Radwan Force, led Hezbollah operations in Syria, and entrenched its operational and combat capabilities.

During the war… pic.twitter.com/mCllkJOole

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 23, 2025

Hezbollah has confirmed that Tabatabai was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Lebanon’s capital. The group denounced the attack as a “red line” violation and warned of potential retaliation.

“The strike on the southern suburbs today opens the door to an escalation of assaults all over Lebanon,” Senior Hezbollah official Mahmoud Qmati said.

Tabatabai is the highest-ranking Hezbollah figure to be killed by Israel since the November 2024 ceasefire between the two sides. The strike came just a week before Pope Leo is set to visit Lebanon on his first foreign trip, with many Lebanese hoping the visit could signal a return to stability.