The Israeli military has confirmed the killing of Haytham Ali Tabatabai, the military chief of staff of Hezbollah, in an airstrike in Beirut. Tabatabai, a longtime member of the group since the 1980s, held several senior positions, including commander of the elite Radwan Force and head of operations in Syria. Following the deaths of much of Hezbollah's leadership in late 2024, Tabatabai became the official responsible for directing the group's military activities against Israel and was later appointed as military chief of staff. The Israeli military stated that Tabatabai was leading Hezbollah's reconstruction efforts and reiterated its commitment to preventing the group from rebuilding its military capabilities, while also affirming its adherence to agreements with Lebanon.