It said he was killed along with another top Hezbollah leader, Ali Karaki, and other commanders.

“The strike was conducted while Hezbollah’s senior chain of command were operating from the headquarters and advancing terrorist activities against the citizens of the State of Israel,” it said.

The airstrike on Dahiyeh shook Beirut. A security source in Lebanon said the attack - a quick succession of massively powerful blasts - had left a crater at least 20 metres deep.

It was followed by further airstrikes on Dahiyeh and other parts of Lebanon. Huge explosions lit up the night sky, and more strikes hit the area in the morning. Smoke rose over the city.

Residents have fled Dahiyeh, seeking shelter in downtown Beirut and other parts of the city.