Israel carried out an airstrike on a southern suburb of Beirut on Sunday, killing Hezbollah’s top military official, Ali Tabtabai, in a move that defies a U.S.-brokered truce, the Israeli military said.

The strike, the first in months on the outskirts of Lebanon’s capital, targeted Tabtabai, described by Israel as Hezbollah’s acting chief of staff who “commanded most of Hezbollah’s units and worked hard to restore them to readiness for war with Israel.” Hezbollah confirmed Tabtabai’s death, mourning him as “the great jihadist commander” but did not detail his exact role, as reported in Reuters.

Lebanon’s health ministry reported five people were killed and 28 wounded when the strike hit a multi-story building, sending debris onto surrounding streets. Residents rushed from their homes fearing further attacks.

Hezbollah officials condemned the strike as crossing a “red line,” with the group’s leadership deciding on potential responses. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would not allow Hezbollah to rebuild and called on the Lebanese government to fulfill its obligation to disarm the group.

The attack comes amid ongoing near-daily Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah since the ceasefire in November 2024, which was meant to end a year of fighting triggered by Hezbollah’s ally Hamas attacking Israel in October 2023. Israel has intensified strikes in recent weeks, claiming they target arms depots and rebuilding efforts.

hezbollah leader israel

Civil defence members gather near the site of an Israeli strike on a building, after Israeli military said on Sunday that it struck a militant from the Lebanese Iran-aligned Hezbollah group, in Beirut’s southern suburbs, Lebanon November 23, 2025. REUTERS/Mohammed Yassin

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun urged international intervention to halt Israeli attacks. The strike also occurs a week before Pope Leo’s planned visit to Lebanon, which many hope could signal stability.

The United States sanctioned Tabtabai in 2016, offering up to $5 million for information on him, highlighting his significance within the Iran-backed group. Israel has previously eliminated much of Hezbollah’s leadership during last year’s conflict, including its then-leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Despite the ongoing strikes, Hezbollah has not fired on Israel since the ceasefire and maintains that it is adhering to the truce. Tensions, however, remain high as both nations continue to accuse each other of ceasefire violations.