🔗 Share this article

Israeli forces allegedly targeted the top military official of Lebanon's Iran-backed faction the Hezbollah organization in a operation on the capital's southern district, according to the office of the Israeli PM on the weekend.

This represented the initial attack in several months on the southern suburbs of the capital city, an zone known for housing Hezbollah officials.

Objective Named as Ali Tabtabai

The focus of the operation was the military official Ali Tabtabai, per an Israeli source informed about the strike and a security official in Lebanon. The PM's office did not reveal whether Tabtabai was killed.

US Alert Particulars

A high-ranking American official stated that Israel did not alert Washington beforehand about the airstrike, as mentioned in a online report.

The authority noted that the US government was alerted immediately after the incident, and a second senior US official said that the United States had had information for several days that Israel was preparing to escalate strikes in the country.

Background on the Military Leader

The US enforced sanctions on Tabtabai in 2016, identifying him as a critical military figure in the group and providing a reward of up to $5m for details on him.

Strike Details and Consequences

The airstrike impacted a primary street in Beirut's southern suburbs, where residents mentioned hearing the noise of aircraft before the explosion.

People rushed out of their homes out of concern of further strikes, as stated by a reporter in the zone.

No fewer than two individuals were fatally wounded and several dozen were injured and taken to clinics in the region, per medical sources.

There was no prompt response from the group.

Ongoing Israeli Operations

Attacks by Israel on the Lebanese faction over the recent period have taken the lives of its ex-head the group's past leader, a significant part of the group's top military brass and about thousands of militants.

Comments from Israeli Leadership

The prime minister addressed his cabinet on Sunday morning before the strike that Israel would continue to confront “militant activities” on multiple fronts.

“We will continue to do all that is required to stop Hezbollah from re-establishing its capability to endanger our security,” he stated.

Wider Context

Israel has escalated bombing raids in south Lebanon, pressing a initiative of regular assaults that it states is aimed to block a resurgence of forces by the faction in the border area.

Israeli authorities has accused Hezbollah of trying to restock weapons since a American-endorsed peace agreement recently.

The faction claims it has abided by stipulations for it to end its troop placement in the border region near Israel, and for the national army to station there.