Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group, held a funeral on Monday for its top military commander, Haytham Ali Tabatabai, and other members killed in an Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs. Tabatabai, the most senior Hezbollah leader to be assassinated since a November 2024 ceasefire, was targeted as Israel intensified its attacks on Lebanon. The United States has simultaneously increased pressure on the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah, further complicating the region’s fragile stability. Israel’s military confirmed the operation, stating it had “eliminated the terrorist Haytham Ali Tabatabai, Hezbollah’s chief of general staff.” The strike has reignited tensions, with Hezbollah supporters chanting anti-Israel and anti-American slogans during the funeral procession. The group has rejected calls to disarm, despite a government-approved plan to dismantle its military infrastructure. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its power, urging Lebanon to fulfill its disarmament commitments. Analysts suggest Hezbollah’s options are limited, as direct retaliation could provoke severe Israeli counterstrikes. The assassination underscores the ongoing volatility in the region, with Lebanon’s government struggling to balance internal pressures and external demands.