"Mabrouk!"
Surprise Strike: Trump Administration Knew Israel Planned Escalation But Was Blind to Time and Target
Senior U.S. officials expressed satisfaction with the elimination of Hezbollah's de facto Chief of Staff, Haitham Ali Tabatabaei, despite being surprised by the strike's exact timing, and are now pressuring the terrorist group not to retaliate.
The Trump Administration was caught off guard by the exact timing and location of the Israeli airstrike in Beirut's Dahiya quarter, but senior American officials have voiced strong support for the elimination of Hezbollah's de facto Chief of Staff, Haitham Ali Tabatabaei, and for the continued military pressure on the terrorist organization.
Senior American officials revealed tonight (Sunday) that while they had been aware for several days that Israel intended to escalate its actions against Hezbollah, they did not receive advance notification regarding the precise timing, location, or the specific target of the assassination. Israel updated the U.S. immediately following the strike.
U.S. Satisfaction and Support
The American administration not only endorsed the strike but expressed genuine satisfaction with the outcome. A senior U.S. official conveyed the administration's approval in exceptionally direct terms:
"We are pleased with the assassination of the number two in Hezbollah. We think this is an excellent thing. Yalla, congratulations. Mabrouk."
This strong endorsement reinforces the U.S. position of supporting Israel’s campaign against the terrorist group, which the U.S. has also pressured the Lebanese government to disarm.
Diplomatic Pressure and War Avoidance
The American approval comes as the U.S. is applying heavy pressure on the Lebanese government to implement its own decision to disarm Hezbollah. American officials have made it unequivocally clear to the Lebanese leadership that failure to act against Hezbollah will result in Israel taking the necessary military measures itself.
Following the assassination, U.S. officials engaged in talks with the Lebanese government. During these discussions, the Lebanese representatives reportedly did not lodge severe protests or request that the U.S. pressure Israel to de-escalate.
Containment and Messaging
According to senior U.S. officials, the Lebanese government is actively working to contain the incident and prevent any retaliatory action by Hezbollah that could plunge the country into another war with Israel.
For its part, the Trump Administration is also working through intermediaries to convey a clear message to the terrorist organization: it would not be in Hezbollah’s interest to respond to the elimination of Tabatabaei. The U.S. does not wish to see a further escalation resulting from the successful targeted killing, and is joining the diplomatic efforts to prevent a major response that could trigger a full-scale regional conflict.
The strong U.S. reaction, supporting the escalation while actively working to contain the fallout, underscores the dual strategy of increasing pressure on Hezbollah militarily and diplomatically, while simultaneously striving to prevent a broader war in the region.