BEIRUT BLAST: Israel Takes Out Hezbollah’s #2 in Broad Daylight – Ceasefire on Life Support
Published Date: 25th Nov, 2025
Dahiyeh, Beirut – 19:42 local, November 24, 2025 The ceasefire is bleeding.
At 12:17 local time yesterday, three Israeli Air Force missiles obliterated a six-storey residential block in Haret Hreik, killing Haytham Ali Tabatabai, Hezbollah’s highest-ranking surviving military commander, along with four bodyguards and wounding 28 civilians.
IDF Statement (13:04) “Haytham Ali Tabatabai, Hezbollah Chief of General Staff and architect of attacks that murdered dozens of Israeli soldiers and civilians, was eliminated in a precision strike in Beirut.”
Hezbollah Statement (14:30) “The great jihadi leader, the martyr commander Haytham Ali Tabatabai, ascended while performing his jihadi duties. The enemy will pay the price in blood.”
Live Casualty & Damage Report (Lebanese Health Ministry)
- 5 confirmed dead (including Tabatabai)
- 28 wounded (11 critical)
- Entire residential building flattened
- Two adjacent buildings severely damaged
Who Was Haytham Ali Tabatabai? (Quick Profile)
- Age: 57
- Role: Deputy to Naim Qassem, commander of all Hezbollah military units
- Background: Fought Israel in 1980s–90s, led Khiam fortress defence, masterminded precision-guided missile program
- Survived: 2024 airstrikes that killed Nasrallah, Safieddine, and 30+ top commanders
- Status: Highest-ranking Hezbollah officer killed since November 2024 ceasefire
Funeral Scenes Right Now (Live from Dahiyeh)
- Tens of thousands lining the streets
- Five coffins draped in yellow Hezbollah flags
- Chants of “Death to Israel, death to America”
- Armed fighters firing AK-47s into the air
- Giant portrait of Tabatabai with caption: “We are all your soldiers, Haytham”
Hezbollah Official Response (Naim Qassem video, 18:00)
“The resistance will respond at the time, place, and manner of its choosing. The enemy has reopened the gates of hell.”
Israeli Military Movements (Last 6 Hours)
- Full mobilisation of Northern Command reserves
- Iron Dome batteries redeployed to Haifa and Galilee
- Airspace over northern Israel closed to civilian traffic
- Residents told to prepare bomb shelters
International Reaction (Real-Time)
- Iran: “Israel will face a crushing response”
- US State Department: “We are deeply concerned and urge maximum restraint”
- UNIFIL: “This strike constitutes a grave violation of Resolution 1701”
- France: Emergency Security Council meeting requested
- Russia: “Provocation designed to derail regional stability”
Ceasefire Violations Since November 2024 (Running Count)
- Israeli strikes inside Lebanon: 127
- Hezbollah attacks into Israel: 11
- Civilian deaths from Israeli strikes: 108 (including today)
Bottom Line
The November 2024 ceasefire was already on life support. Today Israel pulled the plug on the patient.
Haytham Ali Tabatabai was not just another commander; he was the man rebuilding Hezbollah’s missile arsenal under the nose of the truce.
His funeral is happening now. His revenge is being planned now.
Beirut is bracing. Northern Israel is bracing.
The next 48 hours will decide whether Lebanon slides back into all-out war.
Date: 25th Nov, 2025
