According to Mashreq, citing Rai Al-Youm, Atwan remarked on the assassination of Hezbollah’s key commander by the Israeli regime, stating that it was not surprising that Israeli aircraft, which have been flying over Beirut day and night, targeted General Abu Ali Al-Tabtabaei, the second-in-command of Hezbollah and head of its military branch. This operation was ordered by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his military command, coordinated with Donald Trump and his intelligence services.Atwan raised the question of Hezbollah’s lack of immediate response to this attack, a topic discussed by some with good intentions and a deep desire for vengeance, while others criticize the resistance and express concern about the situation. He stated that these provocative Israeli attacks reveal the regime’s fear of the improving military situation and the success of Hezbollah’s young military leaders in stabilizing internal conditions for the great battle that is undoubtedly approaching.The editor of Rai Al-Youm added that Hezbollah’s military command operates with silence and cunning, determining the place and time of their response to the Israeli assault. He noted that Netanyahu aims to provoke Hezbollah into an immediate reaction to justify a large-scale ground, air, and naval attack on Lebanon, placing the blame on Hezbollah before they are fully prepared.Atwan emphasized that the assassination of Al-Tabtabaei and the ongoing Israeli attacks, which have surpassed seven thousand ceasefire violations in just one year, validate Hezbollah’s position against disarmament pressures from the Lebanese government and others under U.S. and Israeli influence. He criticized the notion that the state should monopolize arms, highlighting the government’s focus on appeasing American envoys and following their dictates rather than addressing the realities on the ground.He quoted Joseph Aoun, the President of Lebanon, who recently stated that Hezbollah is militarily finished and that the responsibility for protecting Lebanese Shiites lies with the government. Atwan questioned the rationale behind the escalation of Israeli attacks if Hezbollah is indeed militarily finished.Atwan continued, stating that these assaults and Israeli assassinations against Hezbollah demonstrate the failure of last November’s attacks on Lebanon and indicate that Hezbollah has grown stronger. Israel previously targeted Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the historical leader of Hezbollah, along with many of its military commanders, committing atrocities that resulted in nearly four thousand casualties; yet Hezbollah did not collapse. Instead, its young military leaders orchestrated a significant response, reaching Netanyahu’s doorstep and targeting the 8200 intelligence unit in the heart of Tel Aviv.According to Atwan, the assassination of General Al-Tabtabaei will not lead to Hezbollah’s collapse. Hezbollah is a breeding ground for commanders; every commander who becomes a martyr will have another take up the banner and continue the sacred jihad path.Atwan concluded that the response to this assassination will be certain, imminent, and painful. He emphasized a reality that many within the occupying regime and aligned Arab and Islamic countries have forgotten: the only force that has defeated Israel twice in Lebanon and forced its army into a humiliating retreat is the Lebanese resistance. This will happen for a third time, and with God’s permission, it is near.On Sunday, December 2, 2024, the Israeli regime targeted a residential apartment on Al-Areej Street in the Dahiyeh area, south of Beirut, during an airstrike, causing widespread destruction and resulting in the martyrdom of Hitham Ali Al-Tabtabaei.Joseph Aoun the President of Lebanon remarked that the Israeli attack on Dahiyeh coincided with Lebanon’s Independence Day providing further evidence of this regime’s disregard for repeated calls to cease its aggressions against Lebanon and its opposition to implementing international resolutions undermining all efforts and proposals aimed at preventing escalation and restoring stability not only in Lebanon but across the entire region.
