Israel killed Hezbollah's military chief on Sunday in a strike on Beirut's southern suburbs that targeted a building in a densely populated area, killing five people according to Lebanese authorities.

He is the highest-ranking Hezbollah official to be killed since the end almost a year ago of the deadly war between the pro-Iranian movement and Israel, from which it emerged beheaded.

The Israeli army claimed to have killed Haitham Ali Tabatabai in a fifth airstrike on the southern suburbs of Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold, since the ceasefire came into effect. Later that evening, the Islamist movement confirmed that "the great leader" Tabatabai had been killed "as a result of Israeli aggression."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has assured that Israel "will not allow Hezbollah to rebuild its power" and called on the Lebanese government to "respect its commitment to disarm Hezbollah" following this attack which comes a week before Pope Leo XIV's visit to Lebanon.

Tabatabai, described by the Israeli army as "Hezbollah's most important commander", had been promoted to Hezbollah's military chief after the deaths of the movement's top military leaders during the war with Israel.

- "Like a flash" -

In the targeted area, the strike hit the third and fourth floors of a nine-story building, and left several burned-out cars at its base, an AFP journalist observed.

He saw rescuers evacuate a body wrapped in a white bag and at least six injured people, including three women, from the building on the ground floor of which there is a pastry shop, a toy store and an appliance store.

"I was visiting my mother and I was on the balcony," a man who was in a building opposite the one that was hit told AFP. "There was a flash, then I hit the railing and all the glass shattered," added the man in his forties, who was in shock and did not want to give his name.

Five people were killed and 28 injured, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

Benjamin Netanyahu, who had vowed to "do everything necessary" to prevent a strengthening of the pro-Iranian movement, "ordered the attack on the recommendation of the Defense Minister and the Chief of Staff," according to his office.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called on the international community to "intervene seriously and forcefully to put an end to the attacks against Lebanon" carried out by Israel, stressing that Lebanon was respecting the ceasefire.

Yemen and Syria

Israel has recently intensified its strikes in Hezbollah strongholds in southern and eastern Lebanon, where it claims to be targeting the Shiite movement, which it accuses of violating the ceasefire by rearming and reactivating its infrastructure.

Hezbollah initiated hostilities by opening a front against Israel at the start of the Gaza war, triggered by Hamas' attack on Israeli soil on October 7, 2023. A ceasefire has been in effect in the Palestinian territory since October 10.

"We will continue to act forcefully to prevent any threat against the inhabitants of the north and the State of Israel. Anyone who raises a hand against Israel will have their hand cut off," Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared.

The name of Tabatabai, born in 1968 according to the Hezbollah statement, was unknown to the general public in Lebanon.

Before taking up his duties, he was "responsible for the Yemen file" within Hezbollah, which supports the Houthi rebels, according to a source close to the pro-Iranian group.

He had also held positions in Syria where the organization provided military support to the regime of Bashar al-Assad, according to the United States, which had placed him on its list of individuals linked to terrorism.

Hezbollah emerged weakened from the conflict with Israel, which culminated in two months of open warfare before the truce, and has since claimed to respect the ceasefire.

For their part, the Lebanese authorities regularly accuse Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement reached under American mediation, by continuing its strikes and continuing to occupy five strategic points in the south of Lebanese territory.

At the same time, the United States is putting pressure on the Lebanese government to force Hezbollah to surrender its weapons, which the group has so far refused to do.