Israel News
White House Backs Israel After Strike That Killed Hezbollah Military Chief
Washington says Israel has the right to defend itself as Hezbollah’s media admits internal distress and Lebanon warns of rising tensions
Hezbollah Chief of Staff (Photo: Used under Section 27A)
The White House voiced support on Monday for Israel’s right to defend itself following athe IDF strike in Beirut a day earlier that killed Hezbollah’s military chief of staff, Ali Tabatabai. Speaking to reporters outside the White House, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said she had not discussed the operation directly with US President Donald Trump, but added, “Of course, the president supports Israel’s right to defend itself and to take out any terrorist threats in the region.”
Tabatabai was designated a terrorist by the US State Department in 2016, and the US Treasury previously offered a $5 million reward for information on him. The IDF struck his safehouse in the Dahieh district on Sunday, Israel’s first attack there since June.
The reaction inside Lebanon showed surprise of the operation. The Hezbollah-affiliated newspaper Al-Akhbar admitted the group was reeling, writing that Hezbollah was in “distress” after the “severe blow.” In its headline, the paper declared, “The assassination of Tabatabai — the enemy persists in madness,” and said Israeli leaders were “enjoying a victory euphoria.”
According to Al-Akhbar, Hezbollah is “maintaining ambiguity regarding its response” and “refuses any bargaining over its weapons,” signaling uncertainty within the organization about how to react. The paper also accused Lebanon’s new leadership of aiding Israel, claiming that “collaborators from inside Lebanon are helping Israel push for immediate disarmament.” reflecting the internal pressure facing Hezbollah as President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam attempt to centralize weapons under state authority. The newspaper further warned that “Israel is paving the way for a new wide attack,” portraying the strike as part of a larger escalation and preparing the Lebanese public for potential conflict.
Senior Lebanese officials echoed the alarm. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called the strike “a very dangerous development, showing there are no real guarantees to protect Beirut and Dahieh,” and accused the UN monitoring mechanism of ignoring Israeli actions while focusing on the Lebanese army.
For now, Hezbollah has issued no clear response. The ambiguity from both the organization and its media indicates a moment of uncertainty as Israel signals readiness for further action.
