Israeli forces carried out a precision strike overnight on a hotel in Beirut, killing five senior commanders from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force who were meeting inside, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
The strike targeted a room at the Ramada Hotel in the Raouche district of Beirut, where senior figures from the Quds Force’s Lebanon Corps and Palestine Corps had gathered, the military said.
Strike on the Ramada Hotel in Beirut
The operation was carried out by the Israeli Navy, guided by precise intelligence from the IDF’s Intelligence Directorate. According to the military, the commanders were advancing terrorist activity across Lebanon while hiding inside a civilian hotel.
The Quds Force’s Lebanon Corps acts as a central liaison between the Iranian regime and Hezbollah, coordinating activities among multiple Iran-backed organizations operating in the country.
Senior Quds Force figures killed
The IDF said three senior commanders eliminated in the strike played key roles in funding and intelligence operations for Iranian-backed groups in Lebanon.
Majid Hassini was responsible for transferring funds to Iranian proxies in Lebanon to finance the activities of Hezbollah, the Lebanon Corps, the Palestine Corps, Hamas and other terrorist organizations operating from Lebanese territory. He also oversaw funding and weapons production used to advance Hezbollah’s military activity.
Ali Reza Bi-Azar, head of the intelligence branch of the Quds Force’s Lebanon Corps, was considered a major authority in intelligence research and was responsible for gathering intelligence for Hezbollah.
Ahmad Rasouli, the intelligence officer of the Quds Force’s Palestine Corps, was tasked with collecting intelligence for Palestinian terrorist organizations operating in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.
Two additional operatives were also killed in the strike.
Hossein Ahmadlou worked as an intelligence operative focused on gathering intelligence about Israel for terrorist purposes, while Abu Mohammad Ali, Hezbollah’s representative within the Palestine Corps, was responsible for maintaining coordination between Hezbollah and the Iranian Quds Force structure.
Strike follows earlier elimination of Lebanon Corps commander
The five commanders were killed days after Israeli forces eliminated Daoud Ali Zadeh, the commander of the Quds Force’s Lebanon Corps, in a separate strike last week.
Israeli officials said the latest operation represents a significant blow to Iran’s military and intelligence presence in Lebanon and to Hezbollah’s operational network.
“The Iranian terror regime systematically operates from within civilian populations in Iran and Lebanon,” the IDF said in a statement. “It cynically exploits civilians as human shields in order to advance terrorist activity.”
The military added that steps were taken before the strike to minimize civilian harm, including the use of precision munitions and aerial surveillance.
Hotels used as covert meeting points
Hotels have long served as convenient locations for covert activity, allowing operatives to remain close to urban centers while blending into civilian environments.
The Ramada Hotel advertises itself as a modern property in the heart of Beirut, near the famous Raouche Rock and the Mediterranean waterfront, offering business and leisure accommodations with workspaces and internet access.
According to Israeli officials, the location provided exactly the kind of discreet meeting environment sought by Quds Force operatives coordinating activities across Lebanon.
Another hotel in Lebanon, the Comfort Hotel in the Baabda–Hazmieh area southeast of Beirut, was also struck in recent days, with local officials reporting significant structural damage.
Regional media reported that a Russian aircraft evacuated Iranian nationals from Lebanon, including several bodies believed to be Iranian citizens killed in the earlier hotel strike.
Lebanese authorities have since begun discussions with hotel industry representatives and security agencies about tightening oversight of hotel guests amid concerns that Iranian-linked operatives have been using civilian facilities for military coordination.
The IDF said it will continue targeting Iranian commanders operating abroad.
“Israel will not allow the Iranian terror regime to entrench itself in Lebanon,” the military said. “We will continue to precisely eliminate its commanders wherever they operate.”