IRGC Vows "Crushing Response" to Killing of Hezbollah's Second-in-Command

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Monday evening condemned the killing of the prominent military leader in Lebanon's Hezbollah, Haytham Ali Tabatabaei (Hezbollah's Chief of Staff and second-highest official), who was killed in an Israeli strike that targeted the Southern Suburb of Beirut last Sunday.

1. Details of the Iranian Vow

• Operation Description: The IRGC described the assassination as a "blatant terrorist crime" and a "cowardly act," viewing it as clear evidence of the enemy's "weakness and inability."

• Vow of Revenge: The IRGC vowed "revenge" for the killing of Tabatabaei and his companions, asserting that a "crushing response awaits the terrorist aggressor at the designated time."

• Strategic Message: The IRGC stressed that the blood of the "martyrs" will form a "terrifying nightmare for the Zionists" and will intensify the "flame of hope and resolve" for the resistance, affirming that the resistance movement is "alive and vibrant."

• Right to Respond: The statement emphasized that the "right of the Axis of Resistance and Hezbollah to take revenge for the blood of the brave fighters is reserved."

2. Background of the Assassination and Escalation

• Targeted Leader: Haytham Ali Tabatabaei, also known as "Abu Ali Tabatabaei," served as Hezbollah's Chief of Staff and is viewed as the second-highest official in the party after Secretary-General Naim Qassem.

• Perpetrator: The Israeli Army confirmed its responsibility for the airstrike that targeted Tabatabaei in the Southern Suburb of Beirut. The strike marks the first operation targeting a high-ranking Hezbollah commander in the heart of Beirut in months.

• Escalation: The assassination comes amid increasing tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, potentially opening the door to a new phase of confrontation.