Israel strikes Beirut's southern suburbs without warning
Shafaq News – Beirut (Updated at 20:10)
An Israeli airstrike hit Beirut’s southern suburb on Sunday without prior warning, Lebanese media reported.
The strike, which targeted a residential apartment in Haret Hreik, killed five people and injured 28 others, according to initial information by Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
مشاهد من الغارة الإسرائيلة التي إستهدفت الضاحية الجنوبية لبيروت pic.twitter.com/kiitQentsN
— Al Jadeed News (@ALJADEEDNEWS) November 23, 2025
Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee claimed on X that the operation “precisely targeted a senior Hezbollah operative in Beirut,” identifying the individual as Haytham Ali Tabatabai, Hezbollah’s chief of staff.
#عاجل 🔸جيش الدفاع قضى على الإرهابي المدعو هيثم علي الطبطبائي قائد أركان حزب الله الارهابي🔸أغار جيش الدفاع في وقت سابق اليوم في منطقة ضاحية بيروت الجنوبية وقضى على الإرهابي المدعو هيثم علي الطبطبائي قائد أركان حزب الله الإرهابي.🔸لقد كان المدعو الطبطبائي عنصرًا مركزيًا في… pic.twitter.com/f00ar4LJd1
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) November 23, 2025
Israel’s public broadcaster reported that Tel Aviv informed the United States in advance of the strike. However, Axios-affiliated journalist Barak Ravid, citing two US sources, reported that Washington was informed only after the strike had been carried out. According to those sources, the United States was aware that Israel planned to escalate operations in Lebanon but did not know the timing, location, or target in advance.
🚨Senior U.S. official: Israel did not notify us in advance about the strike. We were informed immediately after the strike was carried out🚨Second senior U.S. official: The U.S. knew for several days that Israel was planning to escalate its strikes in Lebanon, but did not know…
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) November 23, 2025
Separately, Lebanese media said that an Israeli drone targeted a Syrian shepherd near the outskirts of Rmeish in the Bint Jbeil district, southern Lebanon. Fighter jets conducted mock raids over western Beqaa toward the western slopes of Mount Hermon (Jabal al-Sheikh), while MK surveillance aircraft continued low-altitude flights over Beirut’s southern suburb.
An Israeli drone also launched a guided missile at a vehicle in the town of Aita al-Shaab, Bint Jbeil district, resulting in the death of one person, according to the Health Ministry.
Despite a US-brokered ceasefire signed on November 27, 2024, Israeli forces remain deployed at five positions south of the Litani River and continue to conduct strikes across southern and eastern Lebanon, including Beirut’s suburbs. According to Lebanese authorities, Israel has committed 5,350 ceasefire violations between the truce and November 20, 2025, including 2,983 air, 2,189 ground, and 169 naval incursions, leaving 331 people dead and 945 injured.
Read more: Israel warns Lebanon: Deterrence or descent into new war?
