On the first anniversary of Hassan Nasrallah’s assassination, Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth published new details about the operation which it described as “worthy of a science-fiction movie.”
The mission took place in September 2024, while Israeli fighter jets were heavily bombing Hezbollah strongholds in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
According to the newspaper, several Mossad agents discreetly infiltrated Haret Hreik, a densely built Shia neighborhood, carrying carefully concealed packages. They were fully aware that being discovered by Hezbollah fighters would mean certain death and that if the devices they carried were detected, Israel’s security would suffer a devastating blow. Moving through narrow alleys, they aimed to reach a high-rise building beneath which lay Hezbollah’s most sensitive secret: an underground bunker serving as its central headquarters.
Information at the time, provided to Unit 8200 and military intelligence, indicated that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was scheduled to meet there with the commander of the Quds Force in Lebanon, Iranian General Abbas Nilforoushan, and the head of Hezbollah’s southern front, Ali Karaki. Only a handful of guards and close aides knew of the bunker’s existence.
Mossad agents were to place their devices at specific points in the building above the bunker, estimating their survival odds at one in two. Even if they avoided Hezbollah personnel, they risked being hit by debris from Israeli bombs falling nearby. Despite the dangers, the team completed its mission and withdrew undetected.
Advanced Technology and Massive Strike
The device, designed in 2022, a year before the October 7 offensive, allowed precision underground strikes at varying depths. Mossad sought this technology not only for Lebanon but also for a potential attack on Iran’s nuclear program. Developed by Israel’s Ministry of Defense with Rafael and Elbit, the device was paired with GPS-guided BLU-109 bunker-busting bombs.
On September 27, 2024, at 6:20 PM, ten Israeli F-15I Ra’am and F-16I Sufa fighter jets dropped 83 one-ton bombs on the target. These US BLU-109 bombs, nicknamed “heavy hail” in Israel, were equipped with both GPS guidance and the targeting system placed by Mossad. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant doubled the initial payload to ensure Nasrallah’s death. The strike killed Hassan Nasrallah, Abbas Nilforoushan, and about 300 fighters, delivering a fatal blow to Hezbollah’s central command.
Retaliation and Succession
In response, Hezbollah launched a massive counterattack with rockets, drones, and anti-tank missiles, naming the retaliation “Operation Khaybar” after a 7th-century Muslim victory over Jewish tribes in Arabia. The Shura Council immediately appointed Hashem Safieddine, head of the Executive Council, as Nasrallah’s successor, but he was killed on October 4, 2024. Naim Qassem, the movement’s number two, then assumed leadership.
Strategic Calculations
According to Yedioth Ahronoth, the operation was decided by Israel based on errors Nasrallah committed following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Yoav Gallant and Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi advocated for an immediate offensive against Hezbollah to neutralize its arsenal of over 130,000 rockets and drones. In contrast, Mossad director David Barnea, supported by former military chiefs, argued to first finish the war against Hamas to avoid a regional conflict and direct Iranian involvement.
In August 2024, Barnea sent a letter to Benjamin Netanyahu urging a total offensive in Lebanon before the US presidential election in November. He believed that during the campaign, Joe Biden or Donald Trump would support Israel, whereas a Kamala Harris victory could reduce US support post-election. Netanyahu ultimately approved, redeploying forces from the Gaza front northward.
The green light was given in September after the progressive elimination of key Hezbollah commanders and an operation that paralyzed its communications, targeting pagers and walkie-talkies.
An Unfinished War
For Israeli officials cited by Yedioth Ahronoth, Nasrallah’s death marks a turning point, but Hezbollah remains a threat: Naim Qassem, less charismatic but experienced, still commands precision rockets and drones north of the Litani River.
“The story of Nasrallah is over, but that of Hezbollah is not,” a senior intelligence official told the newspaper.
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