There are concerns that a renewed war may broke out between Israel and Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon as Pope Leo XIV prepares to visit Türkiye and Lebanon beginning this week, from 27 November to 2 December 2025, which will be the first Apostolic Journey of the Head of Catholic Church outside Italy of his pontificate, the possible renewed war may occurred following Hezbollah stands to retaliate attacks Israel launched in the capital of Lebanon, Beirut on Sunday, killing Hezbollah Chief of Staff and second in command, Haytham Ali Tabatabai alongside four other persons, namely; Qassem Hussein Berjawi, Mustafa Asaad Berro, Rifaat Ahmad Hussein, Ibrahim Ali Hussein and funeral is being held in their honour in Beirut as at the time of filing in this report on Monday, Israel while confirming the killings, said; “Tabatabai is a mass murderer, his hands are soaked in the blood of many Israelis and Americans, and it is not for nothing that the US put a bounty of five million dollars on his head”, although previous Popes had visited Lebanon in the past successfully, but the current Pope, Pope Leo XIV is the first US born citizen to be Pontiff or head of the Roman Catholic Church, and one of the Hezbollah official, Mahmoud Qmati in a statement on Sunday as he stood near the bombed-out building in the Haret Hreik suburb, said, Israel’s strike crossed a “red line”, and Hezbollah’s leadership would decide on whether and how the group would respond, the Hezbollah while confirming Tabatabai’s death, said, Tabatabai, “the great jihadist commander” who had “worked to confront Israeli enemy until the last moment of his blessed life, ascended as a martyr in sacrifice for Lebanon and its people following a treacherous Israeli attack on Haret Hreik area in Beirut’s southern suburb”.

Israel carried out the airstrike on the southern Beirut suburb for the first time since June, killing at least five people and wounding 28, according to Lebanon Health Ministry.

Funeral proceedings for Haytham Ali Tabatabai, the Hezbollah commander and others were held on Monday in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Early photographs and videos from the scene showed Hezbollah members carrying Tabatabai’s coffin, draped in yellow and green, and raising the group’s yellow flags as they marched through the Lebanese capital.

Hezbollah said the strike, launched almost exactly a year after a ceasefire ended that Israel-Hezbollah war, threatened an escalation of attacks — just days before Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to visit Lebanon on his first foreign trip outside Italy.

In its statement, the IDF said Tabataba’i “commanded most of Hezbollah’s units and worked hard to restore them to readiness for war with Israel.”

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office said earlier Sunday that the Hezbollah chief of staff was the target of the Israeli strike on southern Beirut.

Office of the Prime Minister of Israel in a statement on Sunday, said; “A short while ago, in the heart of Beirut, the IDF attacked the Hezbollah Chief-of-Staff, who had been leading the terrorist organization’s buildup and rearmament. Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered the attack upon the recommendation of the Defense Minister and the IDF Chief-of-Staff. Israel is determined to act to achieve its objectives everywhere and at all times”.

The Israeli Prime Minister Office also quoted the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as saying: “A few hours ago, the IDF eliminated Ali Tabatabai, the Chief-of-Staff of the Hezbollah terrorist organization.

Tabatabai is a mass murderer. His hands are soaked in the blood of many Israelis and Americans, and it is not for nothing that the US put a bounty of five million dollars on his head. Tabatabai served as a senior commander in the Radwan Force. This is the force that prepared to conquer the Galilee and slaughter many of our citizens.

Recently, he led Hezbollah’s renewed efforts to rearm, this is of course after the heavy blows Hezbollah suffered in the ‘Pager Operation,’ in the damage to its missile stockpiles, and of course, in the elimination of Nasrallah. I thank the IDF and the security forces which carried out a professional, accurate, and successful operation today.

The policy I am leading is absolutely clear: Under my leadership, the State of Israel will not allow Hezbollah to rebuild its power, and we will not allow it to pose a threat to the State of Israel again. I expect the Government of Lebanon to fulfill its commitment to disarm Hezbollah.

Because only in this way can a better future be made possible for every citizen in Lebanon, and only in this way can good and secure neighborly relations be established between Israel and Lebanon.

On this occasion, I also want to commend President Trump on his decision to outlaw and designate the ‘Muslim Brotherhood’ organization as a terrorist organization. This is an organization that endangers stability throughout the Middle East and also beyond the Middle East. Therefore, the State of Israel has already outlawed part of the organization, and we are working to complete this action soon”.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said in a statement issued by his office that Israel’s strike in Beirut on Sunday was “further proof that it disregards repeated calls to cease its attacks on Lebanon and refuses to implement international resolutions and all efforts and initiatives aimed at ending the escalation and restoring stability, not only to Lebanon but to the entire region.

Lebanon, which has adhered to the cessation of hostilities for nearly a year now and has presented initiative after initiative, reiterates its call to the international community to assume its responsibility and intervene firmly and seriously to stop the attacks on Lebanon and its people,” Aoun said.

Vatican News in a statement had announced Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Lebanon as follows: Türkiye: On Monday, the Holy See released the schedule for the pope’s Journey, which will begin in Türkiye on 27 November. Upon his arrival in the capital, Ankara, the Holy Father will meet with the nation’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, before addressing Turkish authorities, representatives of civil society, and members of the diplomatic corps. At the end of the day, the Pope will travel by plane from Ankara to Istanbul, Türkiye’s largest city.

During his first full day in Türkiye, Friday 28 November, Pope Leo will meet with bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated persons and pastoral workers at Istanbul’s Cathedral of the Holy Spirit. Later in the morning, he will visit the nursing home of the Little Sisters of the Poor.

After a short helicopter flight to Nicea – modern İznik – the Holy Father will participate in an ecumenical prayer service near the archaeological excavations of the ancient Basilica of Saint Neophytos. Returning that same day to Istanbul, the Pope will meet with bishops in the Apostolic Delegation.

On Saturday, 29 November, Pope Leo will begin his day with a visit to the Sultan Ahmed Mosque – the famous “Blue Mosque” before meeting privately with leaders of the local churches and Christian communities at the Syriac Orthodox Church of Mor Ephrem.

In the afternoon, he will take part in a Doxology at the Patriarchal Church of Saint George, the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Following the service, Pope Leo XIV will meet with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, with the two leaders signing a Joint Declaration in the Patriarchal Palace. The day will conclude with Holy Mass celebrated in Istanbul’s Volkswagen Arena.

The Holy Father’s schedule for Sunday, 30 November – the feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle – begins with a prayer visit to the Armenian Apostolic Cathedral.

Later that morning, Pope Leo will attend a Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Church of Saint George. Following an ecumenical blessing at the conclusion of the liturgy, the Pope will have lunch with Ecumenical Patriarch.

Lebanon: In the afternoon, after a farewell ceremony at Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport, Pope Leo XIV with begin the second leg of his Apostolic Journey by flying to Beirut, Lebanon. Upon his arrival, the Pope will meet with hold separate meetings with the President of the Republic, the President of the National Assembly, and the Prime Minister of Lebanon. He will then give his customary address to Lebanese authorities, representatives of civil society, and members of the diplomatic corps.

Pope Leo has a busy day on Monday, 1st December, beginning with a visit to the tomb of Saint Charbel Maklūf at the Monastery of Saint Maroun in Annaya. From there, he travels to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa, where he will meet with bishops, priests, consecrated persons and pastoral workers. The morning concludes with a private meeting with Catholic Patriarchs in the Apostolic Nunciature.

In the afternoon, Pope Leo will hold an ecumenical and interreligious meeting in Martyrs’ Square in Beirut. Later, in the square in front of the Maronite Patriarchate of Antioch in Bkerké, Pope Leo will meet with young people of Lebanon.

The final day of the Pope’s Apostolic Journey, Tuesday, 2 December, will see the Holy Father visiting staff members and patients of the De La Croix Hospital in Jal Ed Dib. Pope Leo will then have the opportunity for silent prayer at the site of the Beirut Port explosion, which occurred in 2020.

The Holy Father will then celebrate Holy Mass at the Beirut Waterfront, the final major event of the journey to Lebanon. Pope Leo is scheduled to depart from Beirut Tuesday afternoon, with a scheduled arrival at Rome’s Fiumicino International Airport shortly after 4pm”.

Hezbollah in a statement of confirmation on Monday, said; “With utmost pride and honor, Hezbollah announces to the people of the resistance and to our Lebanese people the martyrdom of the great jihadi commander, Haytham Ali Al-Tabtabai (Sayyed Abu Ali), who ascended as a martyr in sacrifice for Lebanon and its people following a treacherous Israeli attack on Haret Hreik area in Beirut’s southern suburb.

The great commander joined his martyred brothers after a long period of awaiting the meeting with Allah Almighty, following a life filled with jihad, sincerity, dedication, and steadfastness on the path of resistance. He spent his blessed life working tirelessly in confronting the “Israeli” enemy until his last moments. He knew no fatigue or hesitation in defending his land and people. He dedicated his life to the resistance since its inception and was among the leaders who laid its foundational structure, enabling it to remain strong, dignified, and capable of defending the homeland and achieving victories.”

“Allah bestowed upon him the lofty honor of martyrdom, and his great sacrifice will inspire his brothers in the resistance with renewed hope, determination, and strength to persist on this path. As he was in his life a source of strength and inspiration, his pure blood will empower the fighters to continue with steadfastness and courage to thwart all the schemes of the Zionist enemy and its sponsor, America.

We extend our condolences and congratulations to our master, the Imam of the Age [Imam Al-Mahdi] (may Allah hasten his reappearance), to his brothers fighters and fellow resistance fighters, to the steadfast supporters of the resistance, and to all free people in the world on the martyrdom of this great jihadi commander and his companions who were martyred alongside him. We also extend our condolences to their honorable families, asking Allah Almighty to grant them patience and comfort, and wishing the wounded a swift recovery.”