Jerusalem [Israel], November 24: The Israeli military killed Hezbollah's second most senior figure in the first attack in months on Beirut.
Haytham Ali Tabatabai, described as the Iran-backed group's chief of staff, was killed in the strike in the southern neighbourhood of Haret Hreik, Hezbollah confirmed.
The United States had offered a $5 million reward for his capture since 2018.
At least five people were killed and 28 wounded in the strike that hit an apartment building, the Lebanese Health Ministry reported.
Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) said the blast caused significant damage to nearby buildings and vehicles.
Images from the scene showed a gaping hole in the side of a multi-storey residential building and debris scattered on the street below.
In September last year, an Israeli airstrike killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Haret Hreik.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the military had "attacked the Hezbollah chief of staff, who had been leading the terrorist organization's buildup and rearmament." Hezbollah has not issued an official comment on the attack, which marks a major escalation after months of smouldering conflict in southern Lebanon.
Israel and the Iran-backed militia agreed to a ceasefire in November 2024 after more than a year of intense cross-border fire. But Israeli forces have continued to regularly carry out strikes, chiefly in southern Lebanon, as both sides accuse each other of violating the truce. The attack on Sunday killed at least five people and injured some others. (DPA)
Source: Qatar Tribune
