Lebanon, Iran condemns killing of Hezbollah military leader
In the 23 November Israeli raid on Beirut the IDF killed Hezbollah's chief of staff
Israel is preparing for several possible scenarios and is preparing a 'disproportionate response' in case of attacks from Lebanon in response to the assassination of Haytham Ali Tabatabai, Hezbollah's chief of staff. He had long been under the radar of the security apparatus. Information on his whereabouts had reached the Intelligence Branch shortly before the Air Force dropped precision munitions on his hidden fourth-floor apartment building in Beirut's Dahya district. In Lebanon, at least five people are reported dead and 25 wounded. The Lebanese army imposed a security cordon around the building and residents described intense drone raids even after the attack.
Idf stated that Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir commanded the operation from the supreme command post in Kirya, along with the head of the Operations Directorate, Major General Itzik Cohen, and other senior officers. "We attacked the most senior commander of the Hezbollah terrorist organisation: we will not allow the organisation to regain strength," said Zamir. The security forces estimate that Tabatbay's assassination will not lead to an escalation in relations with the terrorist organisation, but they are prepared for any scenario. It is estimated that there are thousands of missiles and rockets in Lebanon, so one of the possible responses to the assassination is for one of the terrorist organisations in Lebanon to carry out the attack instead of Hezbollah.
Hezbollah Chief of Staff killed
The Israeli army confirms that it has 'struck in the Beirut area and eliminated the terrorist Haytham Ali Tabatabai, Chief of Staff of Hezbollah'.
In a note, the IDF describes him as 'a key agent and veteran of the terrorist organisation' into which he 'joined in the 1980s and has since held a number of senior positions, including commanding the 'Radwan Force' unit and leading Hezbollah operations in Syria'.
During the Israeli operation in Lebanon Northern Arrows, between September and November 2024, 'after most of the military leadership was neutralised, he was responsible for managing the combat against Israel'.
