The strike on Sunday, launched almost a year after a ceasefire ended the latest Israel-Hezbollah war, threatened a wider conflict just days before Pope Leo is scheduled to visit Lebanon.

“We will continue to act forcefully to prevent any threat to the residents of the north and the state of Israel,” Israeli defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.

Government spokesman Shosh Bedrosian did not say whether Israel informed the US before the strike, saying only that “Israel makes decisions independently”.

The strike in Beirut’s southern suburbs killed five people and wounded 25 others, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said.

Israel did not issue an evacuation warning before the strike.

Tabtabai had led Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Unit. Israel’s military said he “commanded most of Hezbollah’s

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