-
The Decisive Blow to Hassan Nasrallah… Israel Reveals Its Largest Intelligence Operation in History
In a move with strategic dimensions that transcend Lebanon’s borders, Israel officially disclosed details of what is considered its largest intelligence operation to date, which led to the assassination of Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah last September. The announcement carries messages of political and security deterrence and signifies a qualitative shift in Israel’s strategy toward Hezbollah and the region as a whole, amid internal Lebanese debates over the issue of weapon monopoly by the state.
In an official celebration, Mossad was awarded the “Israeli Security Prize” by Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Herzog, in recognition of its success in executing a complex operation targeting Nasrallah. During the celebration, a senior officer revealed that Israeli agents carried out dangerous missions inside the heart of Beirut, under direct fire, collecting critical intelligence that paved the way for the devastating strike.
Although a full year has passed since Nasrallah’s assassination, Israel’s announcement appeared as an official acknowledgment of success, sending a double message: first, to reaffirm deterrence within Israel after years of tension; second, to increase pressure on Hezbollah and its environment in Lebanon. On September 27 last year, Israel conducted a focused aerial raid on Beirut’s southern suburbs, Hezbollah’s stronghold. The operation involved ten strikes targeting prominent leaders, including Nasrallah himself, along with Ali Karky, commander of the southern front, and Iranian Brigadier General Abbas Nilo Preshan.
The operation sparked widespread reactions. Israeli analysts described it as the most serious since the July 2006 war and triggered escalating internal crises in Lebanon. Hezbollah, which categorically rejected any efforts to restrict weapons to the state’s control, considered the move a free gift to Israel. It also accused the Lebanese authorities of colluding with the Zionist agenda, warning that such steps threaten the existence of resistance. In a strongly worded statement, Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc called on the government to review its positions, warning against passing plans that undermine resistance and threaten Lebanon’s sovereignty as a state.
Strategic analyst Yarub Sakhr emphasized that the operation was not a mere coincidence but the result of years of ongoing infiltrations, starting with the arrest of agent Eichmann and followed by the assassination of leaders inside and outside Lebanon. He explained that after the July 2006 war, Mossad’s activities intensified, especially with Hezbollah’s interventions in Syria. Israel exploited the field overlap to build a comprehensive map of the organization and familial structures within Hezbollah, paving the way for future operations.
Israel relied on technology and deception to achieve its goals. Special teams were sent into Lebanon, employing camouflage and illusion tactics to project a limited response, before launching the major strike, taking advantage of Hezbollah's period of inactivity during Netanyahu’s travels to New York.
On the Lebanese scene, Nasrallah’s assassination ignited an internal crisis, opening the door to a reorganization of the state away from militia control. Yet, on the ground, Hezbollah still maintains control over vital institutions, exacerbating the conflict between the project of the state and that of the militia.
In conclusion, Mossad’s operation and the messages conveyed through Nasrallah’s celebration are clear indicators that Israel is moving toward escalating its intelligence capabilities. Lebanon is at a critical crossroads: will it succeed in building a sovereign state, or will the arena continue to serve as a stage for regional and international conflicts, turning its national fabric into an unacknowledged battleground?
Source: Sky News
