Israel struck Beirut on Sunday in an attack that "eliminated" Hezbollah ’s chief of staff Ali Tabatabai, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement. The strike also killed and wounded dozens of other people.

The IDF referred Newsweek to its Sunday statement, in which the military said it "will act against efforts to rebuild and rearm the Hezbollah terrorist organization and will operate to remove any threat posed to Israeli civilians."

Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. State Department for comment via email on Sunday.

Why It Matters

Sunday’s attack was the first strike on Beirut in months, fueling fears of wider escalation as Israel continues to navigate fragile ceasefires with Hezbollah and Hamas in the region.

Last year, Israel intensified operations against Iran

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