Israeli strike kills 5 in Lebanon

Israel has killed five people, including Haitham Ali Tabatabai, a top commander of the armed group Hezbollah, in the southwestern suburbs of the Lebanese capital Beirut. Tabatabai was serving as the head of the armed group’s military wing, or chief of staff. Al Jazeera reports.
The Israeli army announced this information on Sunday (November 23). Hezbollah later confirmed the death of their leader. Tel Aviv claimed that the operation was carried out to target Hezbollah’s strong position in the Dahiyeh area, south of Beirut. Israeli media reported that the IDF succeeded in killing Tabatabi on the third attempt.
The Lebanese Health Ministry said that at least five people were killed and 28 were wounded in the attack. The attack targeted a residential building in the densely populated Dahiyeh district. Hezbollah confirmed al-Tabatabai’s death, saying Israel had crossed “serious limits” with the attack.
The attack came despite a ceasefire with Hezbollah brokered by the United States and France in November last year. It was the first Israeli attack on south Beirut in months. Israeli officials say Hezbollah is trying to rebuild its military capabilities, smuggling weapons into Lebanon and increasing production of explosive drones as an alternative to rockets and missiles, raising fears of escalating tensions.