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The Israeli military allegedly attacked the chief of staff of the Lebanese Iran-backed group the Hezbollah organization in a operation on Beirut's southern suburbs, as stated by the Israeli prime minister's office on the weekend.

This was the first attack in months on the southern district of the Lebanese capital, an area renowned for housing Hezbollah officials.

Objective Identified as Military Leader

The focus of the operation was the military official Ali Tabtabai, per an Israeli source briefed on the incident and a Lebanese security source. The PM's office did not reveal whether the official was killed.

American Alert Details

A high-ranking American official stated that Israel did not notify Washington beforehand about the strike, as mentioned in a online report.

The official added that the US government was alerted immediately after the strike, and a another American official stated that the United States had known for days that Israeli forces was intending to escalate operations in Lebanon.

History on the Target

The US imposed penalties on the Hezbollah official in recent years, labeling him as a critical military figure in the group and offering a bounty of up to $5m for details on him.

Strike Particulars and Consequences

The airstrike impacted a main road in the capital's southern area, where residents stated detecting the sound of aircraft before the blast.

Civilians hurried out of their residences out of concern of further strikes, per a reporter in the area.

No fewer than two people were fatally wounded and approximately 24 were injured and transported to clinics in the region, per medical sources.

There was no quick statement from Hezbollah.

Ongoing Israel's Operations

Attacks by Israel on the Lebanese faction over the last two years have killed its ex-head Hassan Nasrallah, a significant part of the high-ranking commanders and about five thousand combatants.

Comments from Israeli Leadership

The prime minister addressed his government ministers on Sunday morning before the strike that Israel would continue to fight “militant activities” on multiple fronts.

“We will continue to do whatever is necessary to prevent Hezbollah from restoring its capability to pose a danger to us,” he said.

Broader Situation

Israel has stepped up bombing raids in south Lebanon, continuing a campaign of near-daily attacks that it says is designed to prevent a rebuilding of capabilities by the faction in the boundary zone.

Israeli authorities has charged the group of trying to restock weapons since a American-endorsed peace agreement the previous year.

The faction claims it has abided by stipulations for it to cease its troop placement in the frontier area near the Israeli border, and for the national army to station there.