🔗 Share this article

Israeli forces allegedly attacked the top military official of Lebanon's Iran-aligned faction the Hezbollah organization in a operation on the capital's southern district, as stated by the Israeli prime minister's office on Sunday.

This was the initial airstrike in months on the southern district of the Lebanese capital, an region renowned for sheltering officials from the group.

Target Named as Military Leader

The focus of the operation was the army leader Ali Tabtabai, as reported by an Israeli source informed about the strike and a Lebanese security source. The prime minister's office did not state whether Tabtabai was fatally wounded.

US Alert Details

A senior US official indicated that Israel did not alert Washington prior about the operation, according to a digital update.

The authority noted that the US government was informed following the strike, and a second senior US official mentioned that the US had been aware for several days that Israeli forces was intending to escalate strikes in the country.

Background on the Target

The United States imposed sanctions on Tabtabai in 2016, labeling him as a key Hezbollah military leader and offering a incentive of up to $5m for information on him.

Attack Details and Consequences

The strike hit a central avenue in the capital's southern area, where locals mentioned detecting the roar of aircraft before the blast.

People rushed out of their residences out of apprehension of more bombings, according to a journalist in the region.

No fewer than two individuals were fatally wounded and two dozen were wounded and transported to hospitals in the vicinity, according to medical sources.

There was no quick statement from Hezbollah.

Ongoing Israeli Campaign

Attacks by Israel on the Lebanese faction over the past couple of years have taken the lives of its ex-head Hassan Nasrallah, much of the group's top military brass and about thousands of militants.

Comments from Prime Minister

The prime minister addressed his cabinet on Sunday morning before the strike that the country would persist to combat “terrorism” on several fronts.

“Our efforts will persist to do everything needed to hinder the group from re-establishing its capacity to pose a danger to us,” he declared.

Broader Context

Israeli forces has stepped up air attacks in south Lebanon, advancing a initiative of regular assaults that it says is intended to prevent a rebuilding of capabilities by the faction in the boundary zone.

Israeli authorities has charged the group of trying to restock weapons since a US-backed ceasefire last year.

The group asserts it has followed stipulations for it to cease its troop placement in the boundary zone near the Israeli border, and for the Lebanese army to deploy there.