At least 5 killed, 25 injured in Israeli strike on Beirut

This photo taken on Nov. 23, 2025 shows a residential apartment damaged by an Israeli airstrike in Haret Hreik, Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon. At least five people were killed and 25 others injured on Sunday in an Israeli airstrike targeting a residential apartment in Haret Hreik, the Lebanese Health Ministry reported. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich)

BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- At least five people were killed and 25 others injured on Sunday in an Israeli airstrike targeting a residential apartment in Haret Hreik, Beirut's southern suburbs, the Lebanese Health Ministry reported.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the strike, saying it attempted to kill Haytham Ali Tabatabai, whom Netanyahu described as Hezbollah's de facto chief of staff that "led the organization's force build-up and armament efforts."

"Israel is determined to pursue its objectives anywhere and at any time," Netanyahu said.

Neither Israel nor Hezbollah mentioned whether Tabatabai was killed in the strike.

According to Lebanon's Al-Jadeed TV channel, the strike also caused heavy damage to buildings and parked cars in the highly-populated neighborhood. Hezbollah said the area contains no military centers.

Hospitals in Beirut's southern suburbs said they are in urgent need for blood units of all types, whereas the Lebanese army said it has imposed a security cordon in the area.

Following the strike, Israeli warplanes continued to fly low over the southern suburbs' Dahieh region.

Earlier in the day, Netanyahu told the weekly cabinet meeting that Israel "will continue doing whatever is necessary to prevent Hezbollah from reestablishing its ability" to threaten Israel.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the strike, calling it "another sign of disregard for repeated calls to halt attacks and implement international resolutions." He urged the international community to act decisively to stop the strikes, prevent regional tensions, and spare further bloodshed.

In a separate development, Lebanon's official National News Agency reported that an Israeli drone strike earlier in the day targeting a car in the village of Aita al-Shaab in southern Lebanon's Bint Jbeil district killed one person.

A Lebanese security source told Xinhua that the dead was a Hezbollah member named Mohammad Saleh.

Since the ceasefire took effect on Nov. 27, 2024, which largely ended about 13 months of cross-border fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, Israel has struck Beirut a few times, while attacking other areas in southern and eastern Lebanon almost daily, claiming they are aimed at eliminating Hezbollah "threats." It has also maintained forces in five main positions in the Lebanese border area.

On Friday, the Lebanese Ministry of Health said Israeli strikes and violations had killed 331 people and injured 945 others in Lebanon since Nov. 28, 2024. ■

This photo taken on Nov. 23, 2025 shows the damaged vehicles at the scene of an Israeli airstrike in Haret Hreik, Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon. At least five people were killed and 25 others injured on Sunday in an Israeli airstrike targeting a residential apartment in Haret Hreik, the Lebanese Health Ministry reported. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich)

This photo taken on Nov. 23, 2025 shows a residential apartment damaged by an Israeli airstrike in Haret Hreik, Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon. At least five people were killed and 25 others injured on Sunday in an Israeli airstrike targeting a residential apartment in Haret Hreik, the Lebanese Health Ministry reported. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich)