The Israeli strike in southern Beirut killed Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting an underground bunker in Beirut on Friday. The carefully planned attack by the Israeli Air Force involved the cooperation of multiple intelligence agencies and resulted in the death of Nasrallah as well as several senior Hezbollah officials.
The attack took place in southern Beirut and targeted a heavily fortified bunker located more than 60 feet underground. According to a Wall Street Journal report, Nasrallah and other high-ranking members of the Iran-backed group had gathered to discuss strategies against Israel amid growing pressure from Tehran to avoid immediate retaliation.
In the attack, described as one of the largest assaults on an urban centre in recent history, the Israeli military used about 80 tonnes of explosives, including about 85 special “bunker-buster” bombs designed to penetrate deep into fortified structures. These weapons, capable of penetrating up to 30 metres of soil or up to six metres of reinforced concrete, were used to penetrate bunker defences and ensure the accuracy of the attack. “Everything we planned was executed properly, there were no errors in intelligence, planning, both in the planes and in the operation. Everything went smoothly,” the commander of the IAF’s 69th Squadron told reporters, according to the Times of Israel. The bunker-buster bombs weigh between 907 kilograms and 1,814 kilograms. The design of the bombs resembles advanced artillery developed during World War II, particularly the Rochling shells. Israel’s military campaign had intensified, with more than 2,000 airstrikes launched in Lebanon prior to the attack. The strikes also targeted Hezbollah’s military assets, destroying vital electronic equipment and a stockpile of missiles. Israeli military officials indicated that the operation took months of planning, with real-time intelligence confirming that Nasrallah was present in the bunker at the time of the attack. “We received intelligence that Nasrallah was meeting senior terrorists, and we acted accordingly,” Israeli spokesman Nadav Shoshani told the WSJ.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorized the attack while addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York. During his speech, Netanyahu condemned terrorism and emphasized Israel’s commitment to protecting its borders. In his first public comments since the attack, Netanyahu referred to Nasrallah as a “terrorist,” and said, “His removal is necessary to achieve our goals.”
The conflict has already displaced tens of thousands of people on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border. The United Nations reports that more than 200,000 Lebanese civilians have been displaced in the past week alone, and many more are expected to flee as fighting intensifies.
Israel has vowed to continue its military campaign against Hezbollah until the group stops its attacks.
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