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Israel strikes Beirut for first time in months, saying it killed Hezbollah chief of staff | World News
An Israeli airstrike has struck Lebanon’s capital Beirut for the first time in months.
Israel’s military said it targeted and killed Hezbollah’s chief of staff, Haytham Ali Tabtabai.
In a statement to the media, Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Tabtabai had been “eliminated”, describing him as “a master of murders”.
“I thank the IDF and the security forces for carrying out a professional, precise and successful operation today,” he added.
The deputy chair of Hezbollah‘s political council, Mahmoud Qamati, told journalists a high-ranking militant may have been killed but did not share further details.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry has said at least five people were killed and 28 others have been wounded.
Smoke could be seen in the busy Haret Hreik neighbourhood, with one video circulated on social media showing dozens of people crowded around the area of the strike, which appeared to be on an apartment building.
Israel did not issue an evacuation warning.
Pic: Reuters
Residents told Reuters news agency they heard the roar of warplanes before the blast.
Gunshots were fired to disperse the crowds as rescue workers and firefighters reached the damaged building. The Lebanese military cordoned off the area.
People gather near the site of the strike. Pic: Reuters
Benjamin Netanyahu‘s office said earlier on Sunday: “A short while ago, in the heart of Beirut, the IDF attacked the Hezbollah Chief of Staff, who had been leading the terrorist organisation’s build-up and rearmament.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered the attack upon the recommendation of the defence minister and the IDF chief of staff.
“Israel is determined to act to achieve its objectives everywhere and at all times.”
It is the first Israeli airstrike on Beirut since June and comes days before Pope Leo is scheduled to visit Lebanon.
Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon have intensified in recent weeks. Israel says Hezbollah is attempting to rebuild its military capabilities there, which the Lebanese government has denied.
Why the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire hasn’t actually stopped the firing
The killing of Haytham Ali Tabatabai is a blow to Hezbollah and also a warning that, a year after the ceasefire came into effect, it is now under huge strain.
Israel does not believe that either Lebanon or Hezbollah have lived up to the promises made, and that far from disarming, Hezbollah is now building up its resources once more.
Tabatabai, they claim, was the person responsible for leading that rearmament.
For its part, Lebanon insists there is a viable disarmament mechanism in place that Israel is ignoring.
This attack, it insists, is proof that Israel doesn’t care about the rules.
It’s worth reiterating that Hezbollah – which Britain, America and others consider a terrorist organisation – does not run Lebanon.
It does, however, wield considerable power in the Lebanese parliament and across the country, particularly in the south, where Lebanon borders Israel.
And Hezbollah’s military strength is bolstered by the support of Iran.
So what happens next? If Israel believes that Hezbollah is rearming, and that its residents in the north face a renewed threat, it will inevitably launch further reprisals.
Hezbollah, too, may feel obliged to respond, either with rockets fired into Israel or by targeting overseas sites that are linked to either Israel or Judaism.
As in Gaza, there is a ceasefire in place, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the firing stops.
And as long as the United States will tolerate Israel’s actions, then Benjamin Netanyahu will feel at liberty to continue.
Mr Netanyahu said in his statement on Sunday evening: “The policy I am leading is absolutely clear: Under my leadership, the State of Israel will not allow Hezbollah to rebuild its power, and we will not allow it to once again pose a threat to the State of Israel.”
Hezbollah is one of the most heavily armed non-state groups in the world and regarded as an Iranian proxy force.
It is a sworn enemy of Israel and has openly called for the destruction of the “Zionist regime in Palestine”.
More from Sky News:
The Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire explained
Inside a Jordan warehouse full of Gaza aid
Israel has accused Hezbollah of trying to rearm since a US-backed ceasefire last year. The militant group says it has abided by requirements for it to end its military presence near the Lebanon-Israel border and for the Lebanese army to deploy there.
Lebanon and United Nations peacekeepers have criticised the ongoing Israeli attacks, accusing them of violating the ceasefire agreement.
