Despite a ceasefire announced last year between Israel and Hezbollah in which the latter effectively conceded defeat by dropping its attempts to force Israel into a ceasefire on the northern front in exchange for a ceasefire in Gaza, Israel has continued to conduct regular strikes against alleged Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, taking advantage of Hezbollah’s inability to launch a major retaliation and seeking to prevent the group from rebuilding its capacities.
Given Hezbollah’s weakness and a general lack of consequences internationally for continued strikes on Hezbollah, the Israeli strikes may have a risk tolerance in terms of the quality of the intelligence on which they are based and the likelihood of civilian casualties in some instances. Even so, it is clear that Israel’s deep intelligence penetration of Hezbollah persists, as illustrated by the recent strike in Beirut that killed senior Hezbollah official Haytham al-Tabataba’i.
The following information sheet shared by Hezbollah’s al-Manar TV contains details on the biography of Haytham, illustrating his important role within the organisation. I have translated it below. I have inserted some notes in square brackets for context.
The senior jihadi commander, the martyr Haytham Ali al-Tabataba’i (al-Sayyid Abu Ali).
. Place and date of birth: al-Bashura 5 November 1968
. He joined the Islamic Resistance’s ranks from its inception, and he took part in a number of military and leadership courses.
. He participated in multiple military operations, in particular major ones, targeting positions and forces of the Israeli army and its collaborators prior to the liberation in 2000 [when Israeli army withdrew from Lebanon].
. He had a role in the field in resisting the Israeli aggression on Lebanon in 1993 and 1996.
. He assumed responsibility for the Nabatiya front [in south Lebanon] from 1996 until 2000. He was among the leaders of the operation that took captives in Barakat al-Naqar in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms [October 2000: capture of three Israeli soldiers].
. From 2000 until 2008 he assumed responsibility for the al-Khiyam front, and he led heroic confrontations on the al-Khiyam front during the aggression of July 2006 [Israel-Hezbollah war in 2006].
. He received responsibility for the intervention forces in the Islamic State, and after the martyrdom of the senior jihadi commander al-Hajj Imad Mughniyeh [in 2008] he participated in the establishment and development of the al-Radhwan Force [Hezbollah’s special forces].
. He was among the jihadi commanders who planned and managed operations against the takfiri groups on Lebanon’s eastern borders [i.e. on the borders with Syria].
. He was given senior leadership tasks at the level of the axis of resistance in its various fields.
. He became chief of staff in the Islamic Resistance during the al-Aqsa Flood battle [referring to Hamas’ attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 and the aftermath].
. He was among the senior jihadi commanders who managed and supervised the Islamic Resistance’s operations during the battle of Awali al-Ba’s in 2024 [Israel-Hezbollah war in September-October 2024].
. He assumed responsibility for military command in the Islamic Resistance after the Awali al-Ba’s battle.
He departed as a martyr in sacrifice for Lebanon and its people along with a group of his martyr companions during a treacherous Israeli assassination operation on 23 November 2025 in Beirut’s southern suburb [al-Dahiyeh].
Published originally on November 24, 2025.
