Mass Murderer Eliminated: Netanyahu Vows Israel Will Not Allow Hezbollah to Rebuild After Dahiya Strike

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a special public statement this evening, addressing the successful targeted killing of the de facto Hezbollah Chief of Staff, Haitham Ali Tabatabaei, in a strike on Beirut’s Dahiya quarter. The Prime Minister clarified that the assassination is part of a clear, uncompromising policy aimed at preventing the terrorist organization from regenerating its strength.

Netanyahu strongly condemned the eliminated terrorist, calling Tabatabaei a "mass murderer whose hands were stained with the blood of many Israelis and Americans."

The Policy of Prevention

Netanyahu underscored the severity of the threat Tabatabaei posed, specifically highlighting that the United States had offered a $5 million reward for information leading to his capture. He noted that Tabatabaei had served as a senior commander in the Radwan Force, the elite unit that had prepared to invade the Galilee and murder Israeli citizens.

Crucially, the Prime Minister stated that Tabatabaei had recently been leading Hezbollah’s renewed efforts to rearm and regroup following major setbacks in previous operations, including the "pager operation," strikes on its missile stockpiles, and the elimination of Hassan Nasrallah.

Netanyahu made Israel’s red line unequivocally clear: "Under my leadership, the State of Israel will not allow Hezbollah to rebuild its strength, and we will not allow it to return to posing a threat to the State of Israel."

Direct Message to the Lebanese Government

The Prime Minister concluded his remarks by issuing a direct message to Beirut, stressing that the path to a better future for Lebanon and secure coexistence lies in upholding international commitments.

"I expect the Government of Lebanon to fulfill its commitment to disarm Hezbollah," Netanyahu declared. He asserted that only by dismantling the terrorist organization's military capabilities could a better future be secured for all Lebanese citizens and good, safe neighborly relations between Israel and Lebanon be established.

Praise for Trump on Muslim Brotherhood

In a separate but related statement, Prime Minister Netanyahu also praised U.S. President Donald Trump for his decision to outlaw and designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. Netanyahu called the Muslim Brotherhood an organization that "endangers stability throughout the Middle East and beyond" and affirmed that Israel is working to complete its own process of outlawing parts of the organization soon.

Netanyahu concluded by thanking the IDF and the security forces for executing the operation in Beirut, describing it as a "professional, precise, and successful action." Hezbollah later confirmed the death of Tabatabaei along with four other terrorists in the strike.