Tensions Flare as Israel Strikes Hezbollah Leader in Beirut Airstrike

Israel conducted an airstrike targeting top Hezbollah military officer Ali Tabtabai in Beirut, escalating tensions despite a ceasefire. The attack killed five and injured 28, with both sides accusing each other of breaches. Hezbollah mourned Tabtabai, and Israel emphasized it would not allow Hezbollah to rebuild.

In a significant escalation of hostilities, the Israeli military executed an airstrike on a southern suburb of Beirut, killing Ali Tabtabai, the acting chief of staff of militant group Hezbollah. Despite a U.S.-mediated truce in 2024, the controversial strike underscores ongoing tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.

The Lebanese health ministry reported five fatalities and 28 injuries due to the attack, which struck a multi-storey building, scattering debris onto crowded streets. While Hezbollah mourned Tabtabai as a 'great jihadist commander,' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed that Israel would not permit Hezbollah to reconstruct its military might.

This operation, which Israel claims is in response to Hezbollah's efforts to regroup, has been condemned by Lebanese officials, including President Joseph Aoun, who calls for international intervention. Meanwhile, anticipation builds for Pope Leo's upcoming visit to Lebanon, seen by many as a beacon of hope amid continuous unrest.

(With inputs from agencies.)