Netanyahu: Hezbollah’s Chief of Staff Was a Mass Murderer and He Was Preparing to Attack Israel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a public statement this evening (Sunday), following the elimination earlier today of the chief of staff of the terrorist organization Hezbollah — Haitham Ali Tabataba’i. Alongside his remarks on Hezbollah, the Prime Minister congratulated U.S. President Donald Trump for his decision to outlaw the Muslim Brotherhood organization.

Israel Will Not Allow Hezbollah to Rebuild

Netanyahu said: “Several hours ago, the IDF eliminated Ali Tabataba’i, the chief of staff of the Hezbollah terrorist organization.” According to him, “Tabataba’i was a mass murderer. His hands were drenched in the blood of many Israelis and Americans, and not for nothing did the United States offer a reward of five million dollars for his head.”

Netanyahu noted that Tabataba’i “served as a senior commander in the Radwan Force — the force that prepared to invade the Galilee and slaughter many of our civilians,” emphasizing that in recent months he “led Hezbollah’s renewed efforts to rearm, following the severe blows Hezbollah suffered during the Beepers Operation, in the strikes on its missile stockpiles, and of course in the elimination of Nasrallah.”

The Prime Minister thanked the IDF for the operation, saying: “I thank the IDF and the security forces who carried out a professional, precise, and successful action today.”

He then sharpened his policy: “Under my leadership, the State of Israel will not allow Hezbollah to rebuild its strength, and we will not allow it to once again pose a threat to the State of Israel.”

He added that he expects the Lebanese government “to fulfill its commitment to disarm Hezbollah, because only in this way can every citizen of Lebanon have a better future, and only in this way can good and secure neighborly relations between Israel and Lebanon be possible.”

Netanyahu also addressed U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision regarding the Muslim Brotherhood:
“On this occasion, I also want to praise President Trump for his decision to outlaw and designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization… The State of Israel has already outlawed parts of the organization, and we are working to complete this process soon.”

Served in the Terrorist Organization Since the 1980s

Tabataba’i was one of the central figures in the terrorist organization since joining in the 1980s. He commanded the Radwan Force, led Hezbollah operations in Syria, and worked to deepen the organization’s entrenchment in the country. During the war, he served as Hezbollah’s operations commander, and after Operation Northern Arrows he was appointed chief of staff of the organization, leading its reconstruction and the restoration of its units’ readiness.

IDF sources note that throughout his years in the organization, Tabataba’i strengthened Hezbollah’s capabilities and was among the most influential figures shaping its military build-up.

Watch the Moment of the Strike:

צה"ל חיסל את הית'ם עלי טבטבאא׳י רמטכ"ל ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה

דובר צה״ל מודיע כי היום, ה-23 בנובמבר 2025, צה"ל תקף בהכוונת אמ"ן ובאמצעות חיל האוויר, במרחב ביירות וחיסל את המחבל הית'ם עלי טבטבאא׳י, רמטכ"ל חיזבאללה בפועל.

טבטבאא׳י היה פעיל ותיק ומרכזי בארגון הטרור, הצטרף לשורותיו… pic.twitter.com/UwsRKSw6sm

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) November 23, 2025

IDF Announcement:

 

 

 

Direct Hit!

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the operation on the recommendation of Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir. Fighter jets struck Tabataba’i’s safehouse apartment and hit directly the specific floor where he was located — only moments after receiving the actionable intelligence on his whereabouts.

Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir commanded the strike from the IDF’s main command center in the Kirya, alongside Operations Directorate head Maj. Gen. Itzik Cohen, Operations Division head Brig. Gen. Yisrael Shomer, and Activation Division head Brig. Gen. Meni Liberty.

Zamir stated that the IDF struck “the most senior commander of the Hezbollah terrorist organization,” and that the operation aimed to prevent the organization’s force buildup and to remove emerging threats, while maintaining the understandings agreed with Lebanon.

In moments such as these, as Israel confronts enemies sworn to its destruction, readers across the world are reminded of the enduring biblical call to stand firm with the nation’s defense and its moral right to protect its citizens. The prophet Isaiah declares: “No weapon formed against you shall prosper” (Isaiah 54:17), a verse that continues to resonate powerfully as Israel acts to prevent the rise of violent terror on its borders. This is a time for all who cherish freedom, security, and the covenantal bond between the people of Israel and its allies to remain steadfast, vocal, and unwavering in their support.