On the first anniversary of the assassination of Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah, Israeli media have released further details, claiming the killing was not the result of a sudden airstrike alone, but the culmination of a complex secret operation carried out weeks in advance by Mossad agents, advanced intelligence units, and cutting-edge technology.
Mossad’s Infiltration into Dahiyeh
According to a detailed report by Yedioth Ahronoth journalist Ron Ben-Yishai, the most dangerous phase of the operation occurred in September, when Mossad operatives allegedly infiltrated the heart of Haret Hreik, Hezbollah’s most heavily fortified stronghold in Beirut’s southern suburbs. At the time, the area was already under continuous Israeli bombardment.
The operatives reportedly managed to plant special devices inside a building above Hezbollah’s underground command centre, where Nasrallah was due to meet Iranian General Abbas Nilpourshan and Hezbollah’s southern front commander Ali Qirshi.
The report alleged that Mossad operatives risked capture by Hezbollah security or even being hit by Israeli airstrikes while planting the devices. These tools — developed in cooperation between the Israeli Ministry of Defence and military firms such as Rafael and Elbit Systems — were designed to guide munitions with precision into fortified bunkers buried under layers of rock and concrete.
The 83-Bomb Strike
On the evening of 27 September, once the infiltration stage was completed, the Israeli Air Force launched its assault. F-15 and F-16 jets dropped a staggering 83 bombs, each weighing one tonne, directly onto the underground headquarters.
The report claimed that then-War Minister Yoav Gallant personally insisted on doubling the number of bombs to eliminate any chance of Nasrallah surviving.
The strike killed Nasrallah along with senior Hezbollah commanders, the visiting Iranian general, and around 300 Hezbollah members in the vicinity. Israeli media described the attack as the “largest and most precise operation in the history of the conflict with Hezbollah”, stressing that its success relied on merging on-ground intelligence with air power.
Leadership Shockwaves
The operation, according to the report, delivered a devastating blow to Hezbollah. The sudden paralysis of its leadership forced the party’s Shura Council to quickly appoint Hashem Safieddine as Nasrallah’s successor. Days later, Safieddine was assassinated as well, leading to Na’im Qassem taking over as Secretary-General.
Israeli analysts argued that this rapid succession of “decapitation strikes” sowed confusion and fear within Hezbollah’s ranks.
The report further claimed that Nasrallah’s assassination capped a long chain of preparatory operations, including airstrikes and targeted killings of senior Hezbollah figures in the months leading up to the September strike.
A “Model Operation” in Israeli Eyes
Israeli commentators hailed the assassination as a “Middle East drama that changed the course of history”, asserting it would be studied in military academies worldwide as a case of combining precise intelligence, modern technology, and decisive political leadership.
Yet even the report conceded that while “Nasrallah’s story has ended,” the story of Hezbollah itself has not. The movement still retains missile and drone capabilities, particularly north of the Litani River, leaving the confrontation with Israel open-ended and fraught with future escalation.
Conclusion
The Israeli narrative frames Nasrallah’s killing as a landmark success of Mossad–military coordination. However, the assassination also underscores the depth of Israel’s reliance on covert operations, massive firepower, and extrajudicial killings to maintain its dominance — methods that fuel cycles of escalation rather than end them.
For Hezbollah and its supporters, the loss of Nasrallah was a painful blow but not the end of the struggle. With its arsenal intact and its identity rooted in resistance, the movement continues to pose a strategic challenge to Israel, ensuring that the conflict remains far from over.
