Khaberni - The occupying army announced, on Sunday afternoon, that it targeted a prominent leader in Hezbollah during the raid that affected the southern suburb of the capital Beirut.
Although the army did not officially reveal the identity of the targeted person, the army radio reported that the target is Abu Ali Tabtabai, who is considered the second man in Hezbollah.
The Khaberni website presents the following most available information about Tabtabai:
A $5 million US dollar reward
The US Army previously announced a reward of up to 5 million dollars for information about Haitham Ali Tabtabai, also known as Abu Ali Tabtabai.
According to the American side, Tabtabai is considered one of the prominent military leaders in Hezbollah and has led the party's elite forces in both Syria and Yemen.
On October 26, 2016, the US Department of State specially designated Tabtabai as a global terrorist.
Previous attempts to target him
This is not the first time Tabtabai has been targeted, as the occupation previously attempted to target him along with other leaders in Hezbollah in previous operations.
Iranian father and Lebanese mother
Haitham Ali Tabtabai, known as “Abu Ali Tabtabai,” was born in 1968 to an Iranian father and a southern Lebanese mother.
He grew up in southern Lebanon, and joined Hezbollah in his youth, before progressing in military positions within the party.
He led the intervention forces tasked with offensive support, and continued in his post until these forces were integrated with the special forces unit of Hezbollah under the name "Ridwan Forces," following the assassination of the leader Imad Mughniyeh (Hajj Ridwan), the founder of the party's special forces, on February 12, 2008, in Damascus.
Ridwan Forces
The Ridwan Forces were established after the July 2006 war in Lebanon by Imad Mughniyeh, and have become one of the most prominent elite units in Hezbollah.
These forces undertake special tasks inside and outside Lebanon, known for their high combat capabilities and quick movements, in addition to working alongside Hezbollah's allies in Syria and Yemen, as well as their main military tasks within Lebanese territories.
