Image: from ZIONS OF ISRAEL X@Israeli_Sniper
By Isabella Harper | Staff Writer with Agencies
Israel has killed a top Hezbollah military official in a rare air strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut, marking the most significant escalation in Lebanon’s capital in months and raising fears of a broader regional conflict. The attack comes despite the ceasefire brokered by the United States and France that went into effect last November.
The Israeli military confirmed it had eliminated Ali Tabtai, Hezbollah’s chief of staff, describing him as a veteran operative who held multiple senior posts within the organisation. Lebanese authorities reported that at least five people were killed and 28 others injured when the strike hit an apartment building in the densely populated Dahieh district.
Hezbollah confirmed Tabtai’s death and accused Israel of crossing a “red line” by targeting Beirut’s southern suburbs for the first time in months. The group vowed that the attack would not go unanswered.
The strike follows weeks of heightened Israeli operations against figures and infrastructure believed to be linked to Hezbollah. Israeli officials argue that the group has been attempting to rebuild military capabilities, smuggle new weapons into Lebanon, and increase production of explosive drones. These developments have fuelled concerns among Western and regional observers that the fragile ceasefire may be at risk of collapse.
Following the operation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would not allow Hezbollah to reconstitute its strength or regain the ability to threaten Israeli territory. He reiterated that Lebanon must uphold its commitments to disarm the group.
Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun condemned the strike and urged the international community to pressure Israel to halt its operations and withdraw from the small pockets of territory it continues to occupy in southern Lebanon. Aoun argued that the attacks violate the agreement that ended 13 months of conflict.
The Lebanese government has pledged to disarm Hezbollah as part of a long-standing political process, but the organisation refuses to consider giving up its arsenal until Israel fully withdraws from Lebanese territory, stops its attacks, and frees Lebanese prisoners.
A Western diplomatic official told the BBC that the Lebanese leadership is also facing increasing pressure from the US administration, which views progress against Hezbollah as too slow. The group is designated as a terrorist organisation by the United States, the United Kingdom, and several other countries.
The current tensions trace back to October 2023, when Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel the day after Hamas launched its attacks. The group said it acted in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Since then, the exchanges of fire have caused severe casualties and displacement. Lebanon reported about 4,000 deaths, many of them civilians, and more than 1.2 million residents forced to flee. Israel reported the deaths of more than 80 soldiers and 47 civilians.
Ali Tabtai had long been on international radar. The United States designated him a terrorist in 2016 and has a five-million-dollar reward for information on his activities. Washington described him as a key military commander who previously oversaw Hezbollah’s special operations in Syria and Yemen, supporting what the US calls the group’s destabilising regional activities.
As both sides assess the fallout from the Beirut strike, the region faces renewed uncertainty. The killing of such a high-ranking Hezbollah figure, combined with the fragility of the current ceasefire, may signal a dangerous new phase in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
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