Hezbollah mourns top commander killed in Israeli strike

BEIRUT

Hezbollah held a funeral on Nov. 24 for its top military chief and other members of the militant group, a day after Israel killed them with a strike on Beirut's southern suburbs.

Haytham Ali Tabatabai is the most senior Hezbollah commander to be killed by Israel since a November 2024 ceasefire sought to end over a year of hostilities between the two sides.

Tabatabai's assassination comes as Israel has escalated its attacks on Lebanon, with the United States increasing its pressure on the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah.

The group called on its supporters to attend the mass funeral for its "great leader" Tabatabai which will take place in the southern suburbs, a densely populated area where it holds sway.

The Israeli military said on Nov. 23 that it had "eliminated the terrorist Haytham Ali Tabatabai, Hezbollah's chief of general staff.”

The group announced the death of Tabatabai and four other members in the attack.

Hezbollah said Tabatabai assumed the role of military leader after the most recent war with Israel, which saw the group suffer heavy losses including the killings of its senior leaders.

Israel has repeatedly bombed Lebanon despite the truce, usually saying it is targeting Hezbollah members and infrastructure to stop the group from rearming.

According to the agreement, Hezbollah was to pull its forces north of the Litani River, some 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the border with Israel and have its military infrastructure there dismantled.

Under a government-approved plan, the Lebanese army is to dismantle Hezbollah military infrastructure south of the river by the end of the year, before tackling the rest of the country.

Hezbollah has strongly rejected the move.