Haytham Ali Tabatabai: The Hezbollah commander who cut his teeth in Syria and Yemen

Haytham Ali Tabatabai, Hezbollah's chief of staff, was assassinated in an Israeli strike in Beirut. A veteran commander since the 1980s, he rose through the ranks and was instrumental in shaping the elite Radwan Force after the 2008 assassination of Imad Mughniyeh. Tabatabai had extensive combat experience, leading operations against Israel and commanding Hezbollah forces in the Syrian and Yemeni civil wars. Designated a terrorist by the US in 2016, his killing represents a significant escalation in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.