‘The Zionists Should Be Worried’: Hezbollah Mulls Response After IDF Strike Eliminates Key Commander  

Latest Developments

• Warning Issued at Terror Commander’s Funeral: Sheikh Ali Daamoush, who leads Hezbollah’s executive council, warned on November 24 that “the Zionists should be worried” after an IDF strike in Beirut eliminated Haytham Ali Tabatabai, the Iran-backed terrorist organization’s chief of staff, the previous day. Addressing Tabatabai’s funeral, Daamoush declared that Hezbollah “won’t concern [itself] with any proposals as long as the enemy doesn’t commit to the ceasefire agreement,” in a reference to the November 2024 truce between Lebanon and Israel. Daamoush implored the Lebanese government to take action in response to the IDF strike, asserting that “it’s the state’s duty to defend its citizens and sovereignty. The government needs to draw up plans for that and reject foreign diktats and pressure.”
• High-Level Elimination: The IDF eliminated Tabatabai in a precision strike on November 23 against an apartment in Beirut’s southern suburbs. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said that the strike was carried out “to prevent the organization from further strengthening its capabilities,” while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Tabatabai of leading “the organization’s buildup and armament efforts.” Meanwhile, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun labeled the strike “proof that [Israel] does not heed the repeated calls to stop its aggression against Lebanon,” while calling on the international community to “intervene forcefully.”
• Israel Prepares for Hezbollah Response: The IDF is reportedly bracing for a potential Hezbollah response following the strike, although the Home Front Command did not issue updated guidelines for citizens living in northern Israel. Israeli air defenses have reportedly been bolstered along the northern border for possible rocket fire, while the alert level for Israel’s air force was raised.

FDD Expert Response

“The strike on Tabatabai would not have occurred had Lebanon been fulfilling its duties — as set out by UN Security Council Resolution 1701 as well as the 2024 ceasefire deal — to meaningfully restrain or disarm Hezbollah. If this doesn’t change, and Hezbollah’s ongoing regeneration efforts continue to outpace Israeli counter-operations, then further IDF escalation is inevitable.” — David Daoud, Senior Fellow

“Israel’s assassination of Tabatabai is a clear indication that Hezbollah is far from neutralized. The group has spent the past year quietly absorbing Israeli strikes while rebuilding for the next phase of fighting. The key question now is whether this high-profile assassination crosses Hezbollah’s threshold for retaliation. The group may choose to confine itself to escalatory rhetoric, or it may opt to strike back and risk a far more intense Israeli response. In either scenario, Israel gets to dictate the scope of escalation.” — Ahmad Sharawi, Research Analyst

FDD Background and Analysis

“Israeli airstrike kills Hezbollah Chief of Staff Haytham Ali Tabatabai,” by Bill Roggio and Joe Truzman

“Israeli operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah: November 10–16, 2025,” by David Daoud

“IDF Ramps Up Strikes Against Hamas, Hezbollah Targets Across Southern Lebanon,” FDD Flash Brief

“Hezbollah Attempting To Smuggle Weapons Through Syria, Rebuild in South Lebanon, IDF Says,” FDD Flash Brief