Jerusalem: Israel on Sunday claimed it has killed senior Hezbollah commander Haytham Ali Tabatabai in a precision airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs, in what officials described as one of the most consequential eliminations of the group’s leadership since last year’s conflict, according to media reports.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said Tabatabai served as Hezbollah’s de facto chief of staff, ranking just below Secretary-General Naim Qassem in the Iran-backed organisation’s command structure.
Hezbollah has not issued any immediate confirmation or comment regarding the reported strike or his status.
The targeted attack occurred in Dahieh, a densely populated stronghold of Hezbollah in south Beirut, often referenced by Israel as a hub for the group’s military activity.
The military called him a “long-serving and central operative”, noting that his association with Hezbollah stretched back to the 1980s.
Over the decades, Tabatabai reportedly held several influential military posts, including command of the elite Radwan Force, supervision of Hezbollah units deployed in Syria, and key roles tied to the group’s cross-border operations.
Israeli assessments have long identified him as one of Hezbollah’s most strategically significant commanders, the reports added.
During the 2024 Israel-Hezbollah war, Tabatabai was appointed chief of the group’s operations division, placing him at the heart of battlefield planning.
The IDF said he oversaw situational assessments, coordinated force deployments, and shaped major combat directives throughout the conflict.
Tabatabai gradually assumed wider control as the fighting intensified. With several senior Hezbollah leaders killed during the conflict, he allegedly became the group’s principal commander directing military engagement against Israel in its final stages.
After the ceasefire in November 2024, Tabatabai was formally named Hezbollah’s military chief of staff, taking charge of rebuilding its command infrastructure, reorganising its units, and strengthening military capabilities weakened during the war, the IDF claimed.
The reports also mentioned that Israel viewed Sunday’s strike as a major operational gain, arguing that Tabatabai’s removal would significantly affect Hezbollah’s long-term strategic planning and readiness.
(IANS)
