IDF has kept up near-daily strikes on Lebanon since last year’s ‘ceasefire’ and yesterday’s was the first on the outskirts of the capital in months
The strike, the first on the outskirts of the Lebanese capital in months, targeted Iran-backed Hezbollah’s acting chief of staff, Ali Tabtabai, the military said in a statement.
There was no immediate confirmation of his killing from Hezbollah, although senior Hezbollah official Mahmoud Qmati confirmed a central figure from the group had been targeted.
People pass by a damaged car at the site where an Israeli strike hit an apartment building on Dahiyeh in a southern suburb of Beirut yesterday. Photo: Bilal Hussein/AP
Today’s News in 90 Seconds – Monday, November 24
Speaking near the bombed-out building in the Haret Hreik suburb, he said Israel’s strike crossed a “red line”. Mr Qmati said Hezbollah’s leadership would decide on whether and how the group would respond.
“The strike on the southern suburbs today opens the door to an escalation of assaults all over Lebanon,” he said.
The United States imposed sanctions on Mr Tabtabai in 2016, identifying him as a key Hezbollah leader and offering a reward of up to $5m (€4.34m) for information on him.
The Israeli military statement said Mr Tabtabai “commanded most of Hezbollah’s units and worked hard to restore them to readiness for war with Israel”.
Lebanon’s health ministry said the strike killed five people and wounded 28 more. It hit a multi-storey building, sending debris crashing into cars on the main road below.
People rushed out of their apartment buildings out of fear of further bombardment, a Reuters reporter said.
A video circulated on social media showed dozens of people crowded around the area of the strike, which appeared to be on the fourth floor of an apartment building. Gunshots could be heard to disperse the crowds as emergency workers arrived.
“This is definitely a civilian area and void of any military presence, especially the neighbourhood where we stand,” Hezbollah parliamentarian Ali Ammar told reporters near the site of the attack.
Following the strike, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun urged the international community to intervene to halt Israeli attacks.
The strike came a week before Pope Leo is set to land in Lebanon on his first foreign trip, with many Lebanese hoping the visit could signal the country was heading towards better days.
The November 2024 ceasefire was meant to end a year of fighting between Hezbollah and the Israeli military, triggered by Hezbollah’s rocketfire on Israeli posts a day after the October 7, 2023 attack by its Palestinian ally Hamas.
But Israel has kept up near-daily strikes on Lebanon since the truce, targeting what it says are Hezbollah arms depots, fighters and efforts by the group to rebuild. It has ratcheted up those strikes in recent weeks.
“We will continue to act forcefully to prevent any threat to the residents of the north and the state of Israel,” Israeli defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.
“We will not allow Hezbollah, the terror organisation, to recover and rebuild its strength and threaten Israel from anywhere inside of Lebanon,” Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian told reporters after the strike.
Asked if Israel had notified the US before carrying out the strike, Ms Bedrosian said Israel makes decisions independently.
Israel eliminated much of the group’s leadership during the year-long war, including its then-leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Israel and Lebanon have traded blame over ceasefire violations since 2024.
Lebanon says Israel’s continuing strikes and occupation of five southern posts in Lebanese territories are major breaches. Mr Aoun says he is open to negotiations but has not received a positive response from Israeli officials.
Israel accuses Hezbollah of trying to regroup in the south, and is pressuring Lebanon to be more aggressive in confiscating all unauthorised arms across the country, including Hezbollah’s.
Hezbollah has not fired on Israel since the ceasefire started and says it is abiding by it.
