Israeli media have disclosed details of the assassination operation targeting the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah. Dubbed “Operation Butter,” the pursuit of Nasrallah’s assassination began under the joint efforts of Israeli Military Intelligence (AMAN) and Mossad shortly after the 2006 war on Lebanon.
According to the Hebrew website Walla, information about Nasrallah’s location and movements was received just days before his assassination. The decision was made to carry out 14 airstrikes targeting an underground building complex equipped with tunnels. For several days, Israel bombarded the escape exits to prevent any rescue operations.
The report added that when Nasrallah declared support for Gaza on October 8, 2023, the assassination plan was accelerated. Deceiving Nasrallah into believing that Tel Aviv had no intention of expanding the war with Hezbollah was a crucial component of the operation.
The decision for Israeli escalation was finalized on September 16, 2024, a day before the “beeper explosions” operation, following the failure of U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein’s efforts to dissuade Hezbollah from aiding Gaza and to broker a ceasefire agreement.
Contrary to the Israeli military’s recommendation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorized the plan to detonate communication devices used by Hezbollah on September 17. The following day, the wireless communication systems were also destroyed.
Escalation and Final Planning
On September 19, Nasrallah delivered a speech declaring that he would not cease fighting unless Israel stopped its war on Gaza. This provided Israel with a pretext to escalate operations, culminating in a ground invasion in early October.
During the invasion, Israel unveiled the culmination of 18 years of intelligence work, which had gathered extensive information on Hezbollah cadres—from its Secretary-General to its smallest cell leaders—using agents and advanced electronic surveillance.
Shortly before the assassination, an Israeli intelligence officer pinpointed Nasrallah’s exact location. Following this, Shlomo Bender, the head of AMAN, convened a meeting with senior intelligence officials to discuss the proposed operation. The plan received unanimous approval, with IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi giving his final endorsement. Netanyahu, upon reviewing the proposal, expressed strong enthusiasm for its execution.
Operation “Clipping His Wings”
As part of Israel’s larger strategy, “Operation Clipping His Wings” was already in progress. On September 20, Ibrahim Aqil, a senior Hezbollah commander, was assassinated alongside other mid- and lower-level leaders in an airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs.
By September 23, Israel launched an all-out war on Lebanon, conducting hundreds of airstrikes targeting Hezbollah’s bases, headquarters, and even secret facilities. Approximately 80% of Hezbollah’s offensive military capabilities were reportedly destroyed, and several regional commanders were killed.
Despite these blows, Nasrallah continued to insist on linking Lebanon’s fate to Gaza, failing to interpret the relentless and harsh Israeli attacks as signals of impending escalation.
Targeting Nasrallah
The report revealed that just days before Nasrallah’s assassination, Israel identified his precise location. The discovery was not only based on tunnel surveillance but also on his movements above ground. Nasrallah was tracked to a deeply fortified underground headquarters beneath a residential complex of 20 interconnected buildings in a high-end neighborhood of Beirut’s southern suburbs. West of the location was a wooded area, which Israeli intelligence deemed an ideal opportunity unlikely to recur.
Contrary to expectations, Nasrallah moved more freely above ground, seemingly confident that he would not be targeted.
For four days, his movements were monitored at the highest levels, involving senior Israeli officials, including Herzi Halevi and Air Force commanders. Netanyahu personally attended the final planning session.
Execution
A squadron of fighter jets was prepared, with 14 aircraft equipped to carry out the operation. The planes were armed with 83 bombs weighing a total of 80 tons. The execution was scheduled for 6:21 PM during Maghrib prayers.
The report revealed that the operation was completed within 10 seconds. The buildings collapsed into a massive crater, and all potential escape routes were bombed to ensure no survivors.
The Israeli bombardment continued for several days to prevent Lebanese emergency forces from conducting rescue operations. The decision was clear: no one would leave the site alive.
