Concern of further Israeli escalation has grown, following the assassination of Hezbollah’s chief of staff, Haitham al-Tabtabai, in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday.
Lebanese officials view the Israeli strike that killed al-Tabtabai as a political and security message, particularly as it comes on the heels of a new initiative launched by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. The proposal, like earlier attempts, was met not with dialogue but with fire.
The French Embassy in Beirut on Monday expressed its “deep concern over the Israeli strike that targeted Beirut on Sunday, increasing the risk of escalation in an already highly tense context,” according to a short statement published on its X account.
Diplomatic efforts are expected to continue this week, with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty scheduled to arrive in Beirut on Tuesday to meet Lebanese officials. His visit follows earlier mediation by Egyptian intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Hassan Rashad, aimed at curbing confrontation and preventing an escalation.
“Weeks ago, when President Aoun proposed a negotiation framework, Israel responded with heavy bombardment of the Bekaa and the South,” ministerial sources told Asharq Al-Awsat. “Two days after he unveiled a new initiative for a sustainable solution and stability, the response came again - this time striking Beirut’s southern suburbs.”
The sources added that the presidency is seeking to garner support for the proposal and is holding both local and international discussions “to calm tensions and avoid escalation.”
They argue that Israel is signaling that “efforts - whether through initiatives or negotiations - are futile, because Israel will do what it decides to do,” pointing to “a series of increasingly hostile statements from officials in Tel Aviv.”
Yet Hezbollah signaled a hardening stance. During the funeral of al-Tabtabai on Monday, the head of its Executive Council, Ali Daamoush, declared: “We are not concerned with any proposal or initiative as long as (Israeli) aggression and violations continue.
He called on Israel to commit to the ceasefire obligations before discussion on any initiative.
Ministerial sources reiterated Aoun’s call for the international community to assume its responsibilities. “Israel refuses every initiative, and we see no clear international action. We are doing our part; let the world do its part,” they remarked.
Israel has meanwhile announced that it has significantly reinforced its northern air-defense readiness and vowed to intensify strikes aimed at weakening Hezbollah and preventing it from rebuilding its capabilities.
Parliamentary sources from the Development and Liberation Bloc, led by Speaker Nabih Berri, said the strike carries “multiple political and security messages,” delivered not only to Hezbollah but also to the Lebanese presidency and its diplomatic efforts.
They warned that the attack, carried out in a densely populated residential district, marks “a dangerous indicator of the escalating strategy Israel has pursued since the November 2024 ceasefire agreement.”
MP Antoine Habchi of the Lebanese Forces bloc argued that Hezbollah’s leadership “still hides among civilians,” claiming this shows the presence of collaborators within the organization.
He called on the state to intervene and “identify where the breach lies."
