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The Cradle is an online news magazine covering West Asian geopolitics from within.
❗️In an official statement, Hezbollah mourns Commander Haitham Ali al-Tabtabai, assassinated by Israel:
"In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate
“Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with God; some of them have fulfilled their vow, and some are still waiting — but they have never changed in the least.”
With pride and honor, Hezbollah announces to the people of the resistance and to our Lebanese people the martyrdom of the great jihadi commander Haitham Ali al-Tabtabai (Sayyed Abu Ali), who rose to martyrdom in sacrifice for Lebanon and its people following a treacherous Israeli attack on Haret Hreik in Beirut’s southern suburb.
This great commander has now joined his fellow martyrs after a long wait to meet God Almighty, following a life filled with jihad, sincerity, devotion, firmness on the path of resistance, and tireless work confronting the Israeli enemy until the very last moments of his blessed life. He never knew exhaustion or hesitation in the defense of his land and his people, dedicating his life to the resistance since its earliest days. He was among the leaders who laid the foundational stones that made this resistance strong, dignified, and capable — defending the nation and achieving victories.
God has honored him with the noble medal of martyrdom. His great martyrdom will bring renewed hope, determination, and strength to his brothers in the resistance, just as he was, in life, a source of power and inspiration for them. The fighters will carry his pure blood, as they carried the blood of every martyr commander before him, and they will move forward with steadfastness and courage to thwart every project of the Zionist enemy and its patron, America.
We extend our condolences and congratulations to the Master of the Age (may God hasten his reappearance), to his fellow fighters and resistance members, to our steadfast and patient resistance supporters, and to all free people in the world on the martyrdom of this great jihadist commander and the martyrs who rose with him. We also address their honorable families, asking God Almighty to grant them patience and comfort, and to grant the wounded a speedy recovery."
❗️Israeli army chief removes, reprimands senior officers over 7 October failures
Israeli military chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has dismissed or censured more than a dozen senior officers for their roles in the failures surrounding October 7, 2023, following an external investigative panel.
Several high-ranking commanders — including former intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva, former operations chief Maj. Gen. Oded Basiuk, former Southern Command head Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman, and multiple brigade commanders — were removed from reserve duty and barred from future service. Others, such as current intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Shlomo Binder, Air Force chief Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, and Navy chief Vice Adm. David Sa’ar Salama, received formal reprimands but will remain in their posts until the end of their tenures.
Zamir also cleared three officers whose promotions had been frozen, concluding they were not implicated in the operational failures.
⭕️ According to a new Hamas statement, the movement's leaders met Egypt’s intelligence chief in Cairo to review the ceasefire agreement, warn that ongoing Israeli violations threaten to collapse it, and discuss the urgent situation of the besieged resistance fighters in Rafah, with whom communication has been lost. The delegation affirmed its commitment to the first phase of the deal and praised Egypt’s mediation efforts.
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Bedouin tribes attack Alawite neighborhood in Syria's Homs following apparent sectarian killing
The religiously mixed city has seen a wave of kidnappings and killings of Alawites since the fall of Assad in December 2024
❗️Israel's Channel 12, citing a senior security source, reports that the assassination in Beirut's southern suburb, said to be targeting Hezbollah Chief of Staff Haitham al-Tabtabai, was successful.
Deputy Head of Hezbollah's Political Council Mahmoud Qamati confirmed earlier from the site of the strike that a resistance leader had been targeted, but did not confirm his death or identity.
❗️Palestinian Red Crescent reports a critical injury from Israeli gunfire in the town of Deir Jarir in Ramallah.
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❗️Statement by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ):
"The airstrike carried out by the Israeli enemy in Beirut’s southern suburbs this afternoon, targeting a densely populated residential area, constitutes a war crime. It represents an escalation of ongoing attacks on the Lebanese people and their sovereignty, a continued violation of the ceasefire agreement, and a breach of international laws and norms. It also comes as part of the pressure Washington is exerting on the Lebanese government to keep the Lebanese people under constant blackmail.
As we condemn this aggression and ask God to have mercy on the martyrs and grant the wounded a speedy recovery, we affirm that our people stand alongside our dear and brotherly Lebanese people in confronting this attack that targets all the peoples of our region."
❗️UAE and Bahrain carry out joint military exercise in Manama
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Bahrain’s King Hamad jointly supervised a major Emirati-Bahraini military drill, the Rabdan-Shuwaiman exercise, held in Bahrain.
According to WAM, units from both sides carried out coordinated training scenarios aimed at enhancing operational cooperation.
The two leaders toured the training sites, met senior officers, and praised the professionalism displayed throughout the exercise. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was accompanied by several senior Emirati officials, including Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed and Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Saif bin Zayed.
❗️Hezbollah MP Ali Ammar, speaking from the site of the US-sponsored Israeli attack on Beirut:
“Israeli aggression has been striking all of Lebanon since the ceasefire agreement sponsored by Washington. Every assault on Lebanon is a crossing of the red line, and this aggression is ingrained in an entity that targets Lebanon’s dignity, sovereignty, and the security of its citizens.
The resistance is acting with the highest levels of wisdom and patience, and it will determine the right moment to confront this enemy. We are in a comprehensive battle with the enemy, and our timing for the confrontation is different from the enemy’s — we will choose the moment that suits us.”
❗️Israeli news site Walla citing a senior US official:
"Israel did not notify us in advance before the strike in Beirut, we were informed immediately after it was carried out."
UPDATE | Lebanese Ministry of Health:
"One martyr and 21 injured as a result of the Israeli enemy's raid on the southern suburb of Beirut."
UPDATE | Lebanese medical source tells Al Jazeera that 15 were injured in the initial toll from the Israeli raid on the southern suburb of Beirut.
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VIDEO | Footage of destruction from the scene of Israel's attack on the southern suburb of Beirut.
Israeli sources claim they targeted a high profile figure in the Lebanese resistance. Details to follow.
BREAKING | Israel attacks Haret Hreik in the southern suburb of Beirut in what appears to be an assassination attempt.
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❗️Iran warns US and Israel seeking to target Supreme Leader
Iran’s intelligence ministry warned that foreign adversaries, specifically the United States and Israel, are attempting to target Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and destabilize the country, according to ISNA.
Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib said threats include possible assassination attempts and “hostile attacks,” noting such claims were rare before the June Iran-Israel war. He accused those involved of acting as agents of foreign powers, while recalling that during the conflict Israel struck Iranian officials and nuclear sites, with US participation.
Reports that President Trump vetoed an Israeli plan to kill Khamenei were brushed off by Netanyahu, who nonetheless said such an act would “end the conflict.”
❗️Lebanese medical sources report that 10 children and eight women were among the injuries resulting from Israel's attack on Beirut today.
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‼️ In an official statement, the Israeli military announces that it assassinated Haitham Ali Tabtabai, described as Hezbollah’s Chief of General Staff and one of the group’s most senior and experienced commanders.
According to the statement, Tabtabai had held key roles since the 1980's, including leading the elite Radwan Force, overseeing operations in Syria, directing Hezbollah’s war effort during Israel's 2024 war on Lebanon, and later spearheading the group’s rebuilding and rearmament. The statement says he was central to developing Hezbollah’s military capabilities and vowed to continue targeting the Lebanse resistance's efforts to rebuild.
Hezbollah has yet to release a statement.
⭕️ New Israeli poll shows overwhelming support for army's war crimes
A new poll reported by Channel 12 and conducted by the Israeli Democracy Institute shows sweeping public support inside Israel for the army’s conduct in Palestine. According to the findings, 62.5% of Israelis believe soldiers should kill "terrorists" even when they pose no threat, while 60.6% oppose investigating soldiers who abused Palestinian detainees. At the same time, 84% rate the army’s “ethical conduct” as excellent or very good, and 81.3% say they have high trust in the military.
The results point to a broad national consensus in favor of war crimes.
❗️The young man Baraa Khairi Maali was killed by Israeli occupation forces’ gunfire during confrontations with Jewish settlers in the village of Deir Jarir, northeast of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.
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❗️Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said that Israel’s strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs this afternoon, coinciding with Independence Day, is “further proof that it pays no attention to the repeated calls to halt its aggression against Lebanon, and that it rejects the implementation of international resolutions and all efforts and initiatives aimed at ending the escalation and restoring stability — not only to Lebanon, but to the entire region.”
He added: “Lebanon, which has adhered to the cessation of hostilities for nearly a year and has put forward one initiative after another, renews its call on the international community to assume its responsibilities and intervene forcefully and seriously to stop these attacks on Lebanon and its people — to prevent any deterioration that would bring renewed tension to the region, and to spare additional bloodshed.”
Israel commits massacre in strike on Beirut’s southern suburb
The attack, which killed five and injured dozens, targeted a senior military figure in Hezbollah
❗️Lebanese journalist Khalil Nasrallah:
“Last month, Tamir Hayman — former head of Military Intelligence (Aman) and current director of the Institute for National Security Studies — said: ‘The local Quds Force commander, Tabtabai, should be removed from Lebanon. This man is building Hezbollah.’
Today, Netanyahu’s office says: ‘We struck Hezbollah’s Chief of Staff who was leading its armament operations.’”
UPDATE | Lebanese medical sources report that the casualty toll has risen to 5 killed and 25 wounded in the latest US-backed Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburb.
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❗️Israel Hayom:
"Israel notified Washington in advance of the attack in Beirut."
❗️Lebanese security source to Al Jazeera:
"The target, Haitham al-Tabtabai, had taken over the leadership of Hezbollah's military forces (chief of staff), succeeding Fuad Shukr."
❗️Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that the Israeli army carried out a strike “in the heart of Beirut,” claiming it targeted Hezbollah’s Chief of Staff responsible for overseeing the group’s military buildup.
Netanyahu reportedly approved the operation following recommendations from top security officials.
Netanyahu vows to continue striking Gaza, Lebanon as attacks escalate
Israel has killed dozens in south Lebanon and the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, accusing Hamas and Hezbollah of violating the ceasefire deals
Update | Reports say the attackers, primarily from the Bani Khalid tribe, are targeting Alawite residents and property allegedly in retaliation for the killing of a Sunni-Arab husband and wife from Bani Khalid the previous night.
The couple, reportedly employees of the Syrian Ministry of Interior, were found murdered in their home with sectarian phrases written in blood on the bathroom wall, an act widely seen as intended to provoke a sectarian war in which Alawites would become the victims.
Horrific scenes continue in Homs as Syrian Government Forces are deployed but appear unwilling or unable to stop the violence.
The Syrian Ministry of Interior has stated that the investigation is ongoing and the perpetrators remain unknown.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), Al-Muhajireen, an Alawite-majority neighborhood, has witnessed severe chaos after Bani Khalid tribesmen launched retaliatory attacks, burning homes, destroying cars, firing randomly, and causing multiple deaths and injuries. SOHR adds that the violence spread to other Alawite areas, including Basal suburb and parts of central Homs, amid ongoing kidnappings and failure by security forces to regain control.
Trump-led 'Board of Peace' considers 'expropriating' Gaza land, 'compensating owners': Report
So far, no countries have committed to troops for the International Stabilization Force to occupy and demilitarize Gaza on Israel's behalf
❗️Israeli drone strike kills Lebanese civilian in Aita al-Shaab amid escalating violations
Lebanon’s Al-Manar reports that an Israeli drone strike on Sunday morning killed a Lebanese civilian in the southern town of Aita al-Shaab while he was carrying out home restoration work, causing material damage to the site.
The attack came as Israeli drones flew at low altitude over Baalbek and as another drone earlier dropped a sound bomb in the border town of Odaisseh.