On 28 September 2024, the IDF announced his death;[8][9] his body was recovered from the rubble two days after the strike.[10] The attack resulted in at least 33 fatalities and more than 195 injuries, including civilians.[11][3]Ali Karaki, the commander of Hezbollah's Southern Front, was also killed in the attack, along with other senior commanders.[2]Abbas Nilforoushan, deputy commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and commander of the Quds Force in Lebanon, was also killed.[12]
The day after Hamas's 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel, Hezbollah fired rockets at the Shebaa Farms, claiming solidarity with the "Palestinian people".[28][29][30] This quickly escalated into regular cross-border military exchanges with Israel, impacting northern Israel, southern Lebanon and the Golan Heights.[31] Hezbollah condemned the killing of civilians in Gaza,[32][33] and said it aimed to pressure Israel by forcing it to fight on two fronts.[34] Hezbollah has offered an immediate ceasefire should a ceasefire also happen in Gaza.[35][36] From 8 October 2023 to 20 September 2024, Hezbollah has launched 1,900 cross border attacks, and Israel has launched 8,300.[37] The fighting killed 52 in Israel (including 27 civilians), 564 in Lebanon (including 133 civilians),[38] and displaced entire communities in Israel and Lebanon,[38] with significant damage to civilian infrastructure.[39]
In July, another senior Hezbollah military leader, Fuad Shukr, was also assassinated in Beirut.[40] On 10 September, the Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel was shifting its focus from Gaza to the northern border.[41]
On 17 and 18 September, thousands of handheld pagers and walkie-talkies exploded in a coordinated series of attacks.[42] The explosions killed 42 people and injured at least 3,500, including many civilians.[43][44][45] An unnamed Hezbollah official told Reuters 1,500 Hezbollah fighters were taken out of action by injuries.[46] Despite Israel denying involvement with the attack,[47] unnamed Israeli sources told Reuters and other media that it was orchestrated by Israel's intelligence service (Mossad) and military.[48][49][42]
In response, Hezbollah, who described the attack as a possible declaration of war by Israel, launched a rocket attack on northern Israel a few days later.[50][51] On 20 September 2024, tensions further rose after Ibrahim Aqilwas killed in an Israeli strike in Beirut, along with other senior commanders from the unit.[52][53] After advising Lebanese citizens to evacuate, Israel began airstrikes on 23 September.[54]
Since 23 September 2024, when Israel began its airstrikes on Lebanon, Israeli attacks have killed over 700 people,[23] injured more than 5,000,[24][25][26] and displaced hundreds of thousands of Lebanese civilians.[27]
On 25 September, the United States and the European Union released a statement calling for a 21-day ceasefire.[55] The statement was also signed by Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and Qatar.[56] US officials said that Netanyahu had agreed to this, but the next day Netanyahu denied any involvement in this plan, leaving US officials reportedly "furious".[57] Netanyahu later backtracked, saying he shared the aims of the US proposal.[57] According to Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib, Nasrallah had agreed to the temporary ceasefire days before the assassination.[58]
In the 1990s, Nasrallah was popular among Lebanese Shi'ites—and to a certain extent in the Arab and Muslim worlds[67]—but he was much disliked by the Israeli and American governments.[68] However, Hezbollah's role in ambushing an Israeli border patrol unit leading up to the 2006 Lebanon War was subject to local and regional criticism.[69] During the Syrian civil war, Hezbollah fought on the side of Bashar al-Assad. While Hezbollah helped Assad stay in power, Hezbollah's popularity sharply declined given that Assad had become a pariah in the Arab world.[70]
In October 1992, Israel tried to assassinate Nasrallah.[68] In May 2004, Lebanese officials said they foiled an Israeli plot to kill Nasrallah.[74][68] In the 2006 war, Israel dropped many bombs on buildings that may have housed Nasrallah.[68]
A US official told ABC News that Nasrallah and several associates were in Beirut for a brief visit during the strike.[75] According to The New York Times, Israeli leaders had tracked Hassan Nasrallah's location for months and opted to target him a week before the assassination, believing they had a limited timeframe before he moved elsewhere.[5] Iranian officials told Reuters that after the pager attacks, Ayatollah Khamenei sent Abbas Nilforoushan to Nasrallah, warning him that his life was in danger and asking him to flee to Iran; Nasrallah trusted his security and inner circle and refused.[76]
Attack
An IAFF-15I loaded with guided bombs as it is taking-off for the airstrike on 27 September 2024
In the early evening of 27 September 2024, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) conducted an airstrike on Hezbollah's central headquarters located in the Haret Hreik neighborhood, in the Dahieh suburb of Beirut.[7] Media reports confirmed that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was the target of the airstrike. Nasrallah and other senior Hezbollah leaders were meeting in a bunker more than 60 feet (18 m) underground.[77] According to Le Parisien, citing a Lebanese security source, an Iranian mole was responsible for informing the IDF of Nasrallah's whereabouts before the strike occurred.[78][79][80]
The strike was either conducted by the 119th "Bat" Squadron with F-16I Sufa jet-fighters or by the 69th Squadron with F-15I Ra'ams.[81][66] Two officials said that over 80 bombs were dropped within minutes during the operation, though they did not specify the bombs' weight or type.[5] Another official stated the munition was dropped within 10 seconds and were priced at 25 million Shekels.[82] US analysts believe the IDF dropped more than fifteen US-made bombs (either BLU-109s or Mark 84s weighing 2,000 pounds (910 kg) each), with a JDAM kit, to kill Nasrallah.[83][84]
The strike occurred shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the United Nations General Assembly to say that Israel's campaign against Hezbollah would continue.[7] The Prime Minister's Office shared a photo that it says shows Netanyahu approving the airstrike. The image reportedly features Netanyahu in his New York hotel with his military secretary and chief of staff, prior to addressing the UN.[85]
There was no immediate information on casualties in the strike. IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari stated Hezbollah's main headquarters were the target, located beneath residential buildings. Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV reported that four buildings were reduced to rubble as a result of the explosion, which was so powerful that tremors were felt up to 30 kilometres (19 mi) north of Beirut. Ambulances were seen heading to the scene, accompanied by wailing sirens.[7] According to the National News Agency, the raids created a belt of fire that extended from the outskirts of Bourj el-Barajneh to Haret Hreik.[86] Footage taken shortly after the explosion revealed a large crater.[87]
Aftermath
Confirmation of Nasrallah's death
On 28 September 2024, Nasrallah's death was announced by the IDF.[8][9] Hezbollah confirmed it later that day,[88][89] ending the uncertainty over his condition.[90] On 29 September 2024, Nasrallah's body was recovered with no obvious wounds; according to Reuters, two sources suggested he had died from blunt force trauma sustained during the attack.[91]
Other casualties
The area struck by Israel is known to be densely populated. The impacted area consisted of civilian apartment buildings built over subterranean Hezbollah facilities; several structures were completely reduced to rubble and widespread destruction could be seen in the aftermath of the strike.[92] Initial estimates from Israeli defense officials suggest that around 300 people were killed, potentially including Nasrallah's daughter.[3] The Lebanese health ministry reported at least 33 fatalities and 195 injuries as of 28 September, though most of the rubble has not been searched yet, and the number is almost certain to rise as dozens are missing.[11]
Naim Qassem was named as the interim leader of Hezbollah, immediately following the announcement of Nasrallah's death.[96]Al Jazeera had identified Qassem as a possible successor[97] and other reports pointed to Hashem Safieddine, Hezbollah's second in command, as the next Secretary-General. Safieddine, Nasrallah's cousin and also a cleric, reportedly survived the attack on the Hezbollah headquarters.[98] Lebanese sources have also mentioned Ibrahim Amin al-Sayyed, head of the Political Council of Hezbollah, as a potential candidate for the position of Secretary-General.[99]
On 29 September 2024, Al Arabiya reported that Safieddine had been named the new secretary-general of Hezbollah, which Hezbollah denied.[100] Reuters reported that Hezbollah may have been reluctant to officially name a successor for fear he would be targeted by Israel for assassination.[76] Safieddine was targeted during an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on 3 October,[101][102][103] with Hezbollah confirming Safieddine's death on 23 October after his body was found.[104] Qassem was then elected secretary-general of Hezbollah on 29 October 2024, following the Israeli assassinations of Nasrallah and his successor.[105]
Reactions
Domestic
Hezbollah and allies
Hezbollah said it would continue its fight against Israel. After the announcement of Nasrallah's death, the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Manar TV aired Quran verses.[106] Hezbollah supporters took to the streets mourning his death and gunfire was heard.[107] On 30 September, Hezbollah's acting leader, Naim Qassem, said the group's struggle would continue, and that it was prepared to face an Israeli ground assault.[108]
The Amal Movement, another Shia political group in Lebanon, said that the death of Nasrallah would not weaken the resistance. It called Nasrallah a "martyr" and pledged to remain "shoulder to shoulder, heart to heart, and arm to arm" against Israel.[109] Hezbollah's Christian ally Michel Aoun gave condolences to Nasrallah's family, saying: "Lebanon has lost an exceptional leader who led the national resistance."[110]
Lebanese government
Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati denounced the attack, calling Lebanese civilians to "stand united in the face of aggression".[111] He declared three days of mourning in Lebanon,[112] beginning on 30 September, with flags to fly at half-staff on public buildings.[113]
In Beirut, Lebanese army tanks were deployed near the Burj Al Ghazal bridge to prevent clashes between Shia and Christian neighborhoods.[114] In the eastern part of the city, where Hezbollah's political rivals hold influence, some residents reacted to Nasrallah's death with a mix of surprise and celebration.[114]
Iran
An Iranian official paying respects to Nasrallah following his death
Following the strike on 27 September, The New York Times reported that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei convened an emergency meeting of the Supreme National Security Council at his residence.[115]Reuters reported that Khamenei had moved to a secure location in Iran under increased security measures[116] and that authorities were investigating senior security officials and Revolutionary Guards officers, with some arrested as suspected Mossad spies.[76]
On 28 September, in response to the IDF's announcement of Nasrallah's assassination, Khamenei urged Muslims to support Hezbollah and the Lebanese people in confronting Israel's "wicked regime". Khamenei declared five days of mourning across the country for Nasrallah.[117] President Masoud Pezeshkian said the attack would only "strengthen the resistance" and that the international community would not forget that the "terrorist attack" was ordered from New York, where Netanyahu was at the time of the attack.[118] Some in Iran gathered in central locations to perform Shia mourning rituals, waving Hezbollah flags and chanting ballads.[119]
On 29 September, the New York Times reported that Iranian officials debated how to respond to Nasrallah's death. At a high-level meeting, conservative members, including Saeed Jalili, urged a swift retaliatory strike on Israel as deterrence. President Pezeshkian reportedly cautioned against falling into a trap for a larger war. Other moderates warned that attacking Israel could lead to devastating strikes on Iran's infrastructure, given the country's struggling economy.[120]
IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi stated, "This is not the end of our toolbox," adding that "those who threaten the citizens of the State of Israel – we will know how to reach them – in the North, in the South, and even in more distant places."[111]
After the attack, Israel reportedly hacked Beirut airport's control tower, warning an Iranian cargo plane not to land under threat of attack. The Lebanese Transport Minister said he intervened promptly and prevented the aircraft from landing.[122]
Germany: Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the attack was "highly dangerous" and risked destabilising Lebanon, adding this was "in no way in Israel's security interest".[126]
Russia: The Foreign Ministry condemned Israel's assassination, warning it could escalate violence in the Middle East, and called for an immediate halt to hostilities.[132] Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the country was concerned about the Israeli airstrike which killed Nasrallah.[133]
South Africa: The Foreign Ministry condemned the "extrajudicial killings" and stated its solidarity with the Lebanese authorities.[134]
Turkey: Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Nasrallah was an important figure for Lebanon and the Middle East and will be hard to replace.[139]
United States: President Joe Biden said Nasrallah's death "was a measure of justice for his many victims", including thousands of civilians in the United States, Israel, and Lebanon. He reiterated the US' support for Israel against "Iranian-supported terrorist groups." Biden said the defense secretary would bolster US military forces in the Middle East to prevent a regional war, while maintaining diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.[140][141] Vice President Kamala Harris expressed support for Israel's attack on Hezbollah headquarters.[142][143]
Venezuela: President Nicolás Maduro condemned the killing and called on the "Arab people to raise their voice."[144]
Kata'ib Hezbollah blamed "Zionist-American aggression" for Nasrallah's death while Ashab al Kahf warned that any participants or backers of the attack were part of its "upcoming target bank."[147]
Analysis
The Israeli Air Force was initially reported to have used US-made 2,000-pound (910 kg) BLU-109bunker buster bombs with JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) guidance kits in the strikes that killed Hassan Nasrallah.[148][149] However, Israel Hayom later reported that the attack was carried out using Israeli-manufactured bombs.[150]
The Economist noted that "Nasrallah's death will reshape Lebanon, and the region, in ways that would have been unthinkable a year ago." According to the newspaper, "Whoever takes the reins will face the most precarious moment in Hezbollah's four-decade history. It is not just that Israel has wiped out almost its entire military leadership, erasing centuries of experience in a matter of two months. It is also that the group stands humiliated in front of a Lebanese public that had already come to resent Hezbollah for its heavy-handed domination of politics."[73]
Writing in The New York Times, Farnaz Fassihi said the assassination of Nasrallah eliminated a key figure of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's inner circle, as Iran had spent forty years developing Hezbollah as a frontline defense against Israel.[120] Fassihi said that Iran had, over time, activated a broader network of militant groups, including Hezbollah, to open multiple fronts against Israel, aiming to create regional chaos and pressure both the U.S. and Israel into negotiating a ceasefire with Hamas.[120]
Writing for The Wall Street Journal, Yaroslav Trofimov reported that Israel's assaults on Hezbollah, marked by significant intelligence penetration and culminating in Nasrallah's death, highlight the group's miscalculation regarding both Israel's resilience and Iran's power. According to their analysis, "In retrospect, this was the outcome of Nasrallah’s making two strategic mistakes: grossly underestimating Israel, his foe, and overestimating the abilities of his patron, Iran, and its network of allied militant groups in the region."[151]
In The Guardian,Peter Beaumont said the killing had raised questions about the effectiveness of Israel’s "campaign of assassinations", noting that the 1992 killing of Abbas al-Musawi, secretary general of Hezbollah, only led to the succession of Hassan Nasrallah. He said it "may take months" to see any impact from Israel's assassinations upon Hezbollah.[152]
According to The Washington Post, the killing of Nasrallah "left a shaken Lebanon ... a void the militant group might struggle to fill, and its battle with Israel on an uncertain and possibly more violent path."[112] In The Daily Telegraph, Adrian Blomfield stated that the assassination "may forever cripple Hezbollah, weaken Iranian influence and potentially even reshape the Middle East itself." He added that the recent strikes showed Hezbollah had been "clearly infiltrated at all levels" by Israel, and that Hezbollah and Iran "might possibly be facing a slow but terminal decline".[153] Reuters observed that the assassination had caused a loss of trust within Iran's and Hezbollah's establishments as well as between them.[76]
^Byman, Daniel (24 September 2024). "The Beeper Balance Sheet". Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
^Frenkel, Sheera; Bergman, Ronen; Saad, Hwaida (18 September 2024). "How Israel Built a Modern-Day Trojan Horse: Exploding Pagers". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024. Even before Mr. Nasrallah decided to expand pager usage, Israel had put into motion a plan to establish a shell company that would pose as an international pager producer. By all appearances, B.A.C. Consulting was a Hungary-based company that was under contract to produce the devices on behalf of a Taiwanese company, Gold Apollo. In fact, it was part of an Israeli front, according to three intelligence officers briefed on the operation. They said at least two other shell companies were created as well to mask the real identities of the people creating the pagers: Israeli intelligence officers.
^Barnard, Anne (20 May 2013). "Hezbollah's Role in Syria War Shakes the Lebanese". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2013. Hezbollah, stronger than the Lebanese Army, has the power to drag the country into war without a government decision, as in 2006, when it set off the war by capturing two Israeli soldiers
^Norton, Augustus R. (2018). Hezbollah: a short history. Princeton studies in Muslim politics (3rd ed.). Princeton Oxford: Princeton University Press. p. 69. ISBN978-0-691-18088-5.
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