Israel has struck Beirut for the first time since June, in an attack that killed five people and wounded 25, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health.

The Israeli military said the strike on Sunday killed Hezbollah’s chief of staff , Haytham Tabatabai, and warned the Lebanese-based group against rearming a year after the two ended their latest war.

Hezbollah has confirmed Tabatabai’s death and warned that the attack threatened to escalate hostilities as Pope Leo XIV prepares to visit Lebanon.

While Sunday’s attack was the first to target the capital, Israeli air strikes over southern Lebanon have intensified in recent weeks.

At the same time, Israel and the United States continue to pressure Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah, which was a condition of the ceasefire deal that brought

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