Israel has carried out an air strike on the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital, Beirut, for the first time in months, targeting a senior member of the militant group Hezbollah, despite a ceasefire.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the target was Hezbollah's chief of staff. Israeli media reports identified him as Ali Tabtai, describing him as the group's number two.
Lebanon's health ministry said at least five people had been killed and 28 others wounded in the strike, which hit an apartment building in the densely populated Dahieh district. It was not immediately clear if the person killed was Tabtai.
Hezbollah confirmed the strike targeted a senior commander but didn't disclose their identity.
The attack occurs as Israel escalates its campaign against entities tied to Hezbollah, despite a ceasefire brokered by the US and France that took effect last November.
Israeli officials assert Hezbollah is attempting to rebuild its military capabilities, smuggling weapons into Lebanon and boosting the production of explosive drones, raising fears of escalating hostilities.
Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun has called for international pressure on Israel to cease attacks and withdraw from Lebanon, describing the actions as a violation of the ceasefire agreement that ended a prolonged conflict.
The Lebanese government has pledged to disarm Hezbollah, but the group asserts that disarmament discussions will only occur after Israel ends its attacks, withdraws from Lebanese territory, and releases prisoners.
A Western diplomatic official, wishing to remain anonymous, informed that the Lebanese authorities face pressure from the Trump administration, which is growing impatient with perceived slow progress against Hezbollah, classified as a terrorist organization by the US and UK.
The latest conflict between Israel and Hezbollah erupted following Hezbollah's rocket fire at Israeli positions after the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
Israeli officials noted the attacks in Lebanon resulted in approximately 4,000 deaths, including many civilians, and displaced over 1.2 million residents. In retaliation, Israel reported losing over 80 soldiers and 47 civilians in the conflict.
The US government imposed sanctions on Tabtai in 2016 and has a $5 million reward for information related to him.
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