Beirut, Lebanon - November 23, 2025 The IDF announced that it has killed Haitham Ali Tabatabaei, the acting Chief of Staff of Hezbollah, in an airstrike carried out on Nov. 23, 2025. The operation was conducted in the Beirut area, guided by Military Intelligence and executed by the Israeli Air Force. According to the IDF, Tabatabaei was a long-serving and senior figure within Hezbollah, having joined the organization in the 1980s. Over the years he held multiple high-ranking positions, including commander of the Radwan Force and head of Hezbollah’s operations in Syria, where he played a key role in strengthening the group’s presence. During the recent conflict, he was appointed to lead Hezbollah’s operational system, overseeing situational assessments and force buildup. Following the elimination of much of Hezbollah’s military leadership in Operation “Northern Arrows,” he became the de facto commander of the organization’s fighting efforts against Israel. After the operation, he was formally appointed as Hezbollah’s Chief of Staff, directing efforts to rebuild and rearm the group. The IDF described him as a central figure responsible for shaping Hezbollah’s military capabilities and structure, particularly the development of the Radwan Force. Israel stated it will continue acting to prevent Hezbollah’s reconstruction and rearmament and reiterated its commitment to the understandings reached between Israel and Lebanon.