Hezbollah confirms death of Tabataba'i
Hezbollah confirmed the death of military leader Haytham Ali Tabataba'i in a statement.
“With pride and honor, Hezbollah announces to the people of the resistance and to the Lebanese people the martyrdom of the great jihadist commander Haytham Ali Tabataba'i (known as Abou Ali), who fell as a martyr for Lebanon and its people following a treacherous Israeli attack on the Haret Hreik area in Beirut’s southern suburb,” the statement said.
The strike killed six and wounded 28. However, Hezbollah released the names of six people killed — including Tabataba'i — suggesting the Health Ministry may revise the toll upward.
According to our correspondent, the five other victims are Qassem Harb, Qassem Barjawi, Raafat Mrad, Ibrahim Hussein and Moustafa Berro.
Israeli artillery fired several illumination rounds in the area between the towns of Maroun al-Ras and Aitaroun (Bint Jbeil), according to our correspondent in south Lebanon.
Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburb: UN calls for calm
U.N. Special Coordinator Janine Hennis-Plasschaert wrote on her X account: “To prevent today’s events from further distancing the parties from what is needed to consolidate the cease-fire, calm must prevail. In the interest of the stability and security that the parties say they seek, now is the time to de-escalate.”
Strike on Beirut’s southern suburb: Israeli army says it killed Hezbollah’s “chief of staff”
A few hours after the deadly strike on a building in Beirut’s southern suburb that killed at least five people, the Israeli army said it had eliminated Hezbollah’s “chief of staff,” Haytham Ali Tabataba'i, in a message posted on the X account of its Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee.
Without providing details about the attack, the Israeli army issued a biography of the party official. According to the statement, Tabataba'i assumed the role of Hezbollah’s chief of staff following the most recent war with Israel, which officially ended with a cease-fire that took effect in late November 2024.
He “led the movement’s reconstruction efforts, oversaw most of its units and worked to rehabilitate them in preparation for a confrontation with Israel,” Adraee said.
He had previously “taken charge of directing the war against Israel” after “a large part of Hezbollah’s military command was eliminated” and “during Operation Northern Arrows,” which began on Sept. 23, 2024. He was initially “head of Hezbollah’s operational system and responsible for developing the group’s situation assessments and its military capabilities.”
According to the Israeli army, he “joined Hezbollah’s ranks in the 1980s and held a series of command positions, including head of the Radwan unit and supervisor of Hezbollah operations in Syria.” “As part of his missions in Syria, he strengthened the group’s presence in the country,” Adraee added.
Israeli army chief to summon top commanders over Oct. 7 personal failures, some to be dismissed
The Israeli army's chief has summoned senior army officers to hold them personally accountable for their actions over the failures of Oct. 7, and said that several of them will be dismissed, according to Haaretz.
Some of the officers were summoned on Sunday for meetings with the Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, where they will be presented with command decisions made about their conduct.
The Israeli army added that there is a broad consensus within the army regarding Zamir's evaluations.
Israeli intelligence officials say Hezbollah could respond outside Israel
Hezbollah could respond to the deadly strike on Beirut’s southern suburb “by carrying out an attack abroad against Jewish targets or against targets identified as linked to Israel or Israelis in various places around the world,” according to Israeli intelligence officials quoted by Haaretz.
The objective, they said, would be “to avoid being dragged into several days of fighting” with Israel.
Israeli army says Haytham Tabataba'i killed
The Israeli army said Haytham Tabataba'i — the target of this afternoon’s strike on a building in Haret Hreik, in Beirut’s southern suburb, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office — was killed, Times of Israel reported.
Tabataba'i was a commander in al-Radwan, Hezbollah’s elite force, and a leading figure in the militia’s hardline wing. While the party confirmed that one of its commanders was targeted in the strike, it has not yet provided further details about his identity or fate.
The Israeli strike on Haret Hreik killed five and injured over 28 people, according to the Health Ministry.
'We need to identify the person targeted' before responding, says vice-president of Hezbollah's political council
“We need to identify the person targeted, then Hezbollah's leadership will consider the appropriate response,” announced Mahmoud Qomati, vice-president of Hezbollah's political council, as cited by Al Jazeera.
“All options are on the table” regarding the response, according to Qomati, who also mentioned coordination with the Lebanese state.
“The state is called upon to live up to its role as a true guarantor of national security, not just issue empty condemnations. And this barbarity will only strengthen our commitment to our national choice,” he added.
Israeli strike on Haret Hreik killed 5, injured 20
Five people were killed and twenty 20 in Israel's strike on Haret Hreik, according to an official at Bahman Hospital in the southern suburbs of Beirut, interviewed by L'Orient-Le Jour.
Seventeen people were admitted to this hospital, and three others to Sahel Hospital. The five killed, whose identities remain unknown, were transferred to al-Rassoul al-Azzam Hospital.
According to our correspondent's sources, six missiles were used in the strike on the southern suburbs.
Testimonies from Haret Hreik
Ali Kobeissi, a 60-year-old Haret Hreik resident, told our reporter on the ground that he is “waiting to see what happens” after the strike before deciding whether to leave his neighborhood.
“My wife left with my three-month-old grandson and isn't coming back, but I'm staying here,” he said. “We jumped out of our chairs when the strike hit, our windows exploded.”
Bekaa: Series of Israeli strikes east of Nabi Sheet
A series of Israeli strikes hit the Shaara area, east of Nabi Sheet (Bekaa), near the Lebanese-Syrian border, according to our correspondent in the region. No information on casualties was immediately available.
Tense atmosphere between residents and Lebanese Army
In front of the building where three of the 10 floors were hit by the Israeli strike, the atmosphere is tense between the Lebanese Army and residents, reported our reporter on the ground.
People are trying to reach the secure perimeter, but soldiers are trying to dissuade them: “Why are you doing this? Let us work,” said one soldier.
Israel will continue to act against those who threaten it, Katz vows after Beirut strike
“We will continue to act forcefully to prevent any threat to the residents of the north and the State of Israel,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement released by his office, cited in Times of Israel.
“Whoever raises a hand against Israel — that hand will be cut off,” Katz said, adding that, together with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he is “determined to continue the policy of maximum enforcement in Lebanon and everywhere else.”
He added he will not allow Israel to return to the situation that existed prior to Oct. 7, 2023.
The Israeli strike on Haret Hreik killed one and injured over 21 people, according to the Health Ministry.
Netanyahu ordered strike on Hezbollah 'chief of staff' in Haret Hreik, says his office
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave the orders for the strike on Haret Hreik, which targeted Hezbollah's "chief of staff," his office said, as cited by AFP.
"A short while ago, in the heart of Beirut, the IDF [Israeli military] attacked the Hezbollah chief of staff, who had been leading the terrorist organization's buildup and rearmament," a brief statement said, adding that Netanyahu "ordered the attack."
Israel did not inform US of strike on Beirut southern suburbs, says US officials
A senior U.S. official told Axios that Israel "did not notify us in advance about the strike. We were informed immediately after the strike was carried out."
"The U.S. knew for several days that Israel was planning to escalate its strikes in Lebanon," added another official. "But we did not know in advance the timing, location, or target of the strike."
At least two dozen people were wounded by Israel's strike on Haret Hreik and have been taken to hospitals in the area, medical sources told Reuters.
An Israeli drone is currently flying over certain neighborhoods of Beirut, as well as Hazmieh, on the outskirts of Beirut, according to L'Orient Today's reporters.
An Israeli drone strike hit near a shepherd in Rmeish (Bint Jbeil), according to our correspondent.
According to L'Orient Today's correspondent, the strike reportedly left multiple casualties, but with no concrete information yet. Shots were fired in Haret Hreik to disperse the crowd and make space for ambulances.
Several Israeli media outlets claim the target of the strike is Haytham Ali Tabataba'i, known as Abu Ali al-Tabataba'i.
Previously designated by the U.S. Department of State as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, Ali Tabataba'i is a top Hezbollah commander. The State Department claims he led the party's special forces in Syria and Yemen.
Testimonies from Haret Hreik
"I was on my way home with my sister when the strike happened," Diana*, a resident of Haret Hreik who wishes to have her last name omitted, said. "At first, I thought it was a strike on a car because I saw a car on fire, but then people around me started saying an apartment was targeted."
"I wasn't scared because at this point, the sad reality is, I'm used to it," she said.
Israel's military said that it had carried out a strike on a senior member of Hezbollah in Beirut's southern suburbs.
"A short while ago, the IDF [Israeli military] conducted a precise strike targeting a key Hezbollah terrorist in Beirut," the Israeli army said in a brief statement, as cited by AFP.
L'Orient Today's correspondent reports that the Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs targeted two apartments in a building in al-Arid Street, Haret Hreik.
Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee claimed on his X account that “a senior Hezbollah operative was targeted with precision by the Israeli army in the southern suburbs of Beirut.”
Local media is reporting an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, without further details.
Mohammed Saleh distanced himself from all political and military activity, says Aita al-Shaab mokhtar
According to Aita al-Shaab's mokhtar (a local official responsible for records), Mohammad Saleh, killed in today's Israeli drone strike on the village, was targeted as he was leaving his home.
Saleh was held prisoner by the Israeli army in Khiam in the 1990s during its occupation of south Lebanon.
Since his release, he had devoted himself to agricultural work and distanced himself from all political or military activity, the mokhtar said.
“He spends his days tending to his field in the village,” he told L'Orient Today's correspondent in the South.
Iran warns of attempts to target supreme leader Khamenei
Iran's intelligence ministry warned of attempts by foreign adversaries, including the United States and Israel, to target Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and destabilize the Islamic Republic.
The country's ISNA news agency reported on Saturday that intelligence minister Esmail Khatib cautioned "the enemy seeks to target the supreme leader, sometimes with assassination attempts, sometimes with hostile attacks."
While it was not immediately clear if the minister was referring to a specific incident, and Iranian officials often allege foreign plots, statements on threats against Khamenei's life had been rare prior to a 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June.
Strike on Aita al-Shaab: Man succumbs to injuries
Mohammad Saleh succumbed to his injuries after being targeted by an Israeli drone strike in Aita al-Shaab (Bint Jbeil).
The victim was a former prisoner at Khiam prison during the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon. His brother Hussein Saleh had also been killed in an Israeli strike on the same village in May 2024.
An Israeli drone strike hit a man, walking the distance from his home to his car, in Aita al-Shaab (Bint Jbeil), according to our correspondent. He was seriously injured and transported to a near hospital.
Netanyahu threatens Hezbollah again
“We will continue to do whatever is necessary to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its capacity to threaten us,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at a government meeting.
He added that the Israeli army continues to “strike terrorism on several fronts,” also commenting on the Israeli army's operations in Gaza.
Israeli drone overflights above south Lebanon
Israeli drones are flying at low altitude over the village of Khiam (Marjayoun), according to our correspondent.
In Lebanon, a tense calm prevailed overnight, despite the sound of Israeli aircraft over several parts of the country.
According to our correspondent, Israeli artillery fired three sound bombs between the towns of Yaroun and Rmeish, in the Bint Jbeil district.
In a statement, the municipality of Aitaroun (Bint Jbeil) condemned the killing of a Houla (Marjayoun) municipal council member, Hajj Hussein Hussein, who was killed Saturday by Israel between Shaqra and Majdal Selm (Marjayoun).
“This heinous attack on a member of the municipal workforce is a direct assault on local institutions and their role, and constitutes a grave violation of community security. It places the Interior and Municipalities Ministry before its legal and moral responsibilities to support the municipalities of our precious South,” the municipality said.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 312 Palestinians have been killed since the cease-fire took effect.
The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Saturday that the delivery of aid to Palestinians in Gaza — facing a severe humanitarian crisis — “remains hindered by restrictions on visas, import authorizations and an insufficient number of operational crossing points.”
More than 69,733 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli strikes on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023.
Israeli strikes kill 24 in Gaza
Israeli strikes killed at least 24 people in Gaza, according to local authorities cited by Haaretz and Al Jazeera.
The Israeli army resumed deadly strikes in the Palestinian territory on Wednesday, violating the cease-fire that took effect Oct. 10 under U.S. pressure, two years into a devastating war.
Hamas also accused Israel of violations, saying it expanded the territory it controls in Gaza beyond the limits agreed under the cease-fire deal, and continued its strikes. The movement also denied reports “published by Israeli sources” claiming it informed U.S. mediators that the cease-fire was over, according to a statement also picked up by several media outlets.
In a statement attributed to senior Hamas official Izzat al-Risheq, the movement said it had called on mediators and the United States “to intervene and compel Israel to implement the agreement.”
Good morning, welcome to our live coverage of developments in the Middle East.
We will be following throughout the day the situation in Lebanon, where Israeli strikes continue daily despite the cease-fire in effect since late November 2024 with Hezbollah. We will also cover developments in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, Syria and other countries in the region.
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