Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had been the target of Israeli planning for quite some time, culminating in his martyrdom during an airstrike yesterday.
According to international news sources, Israel had mobilized all its intelligence agencies to gather information on Hezbollah’s leaders and commanders in order to eliminate its most significant target.
On September 17, Hezbollah commanders in Lebanon were the victims of a series of pager explosions, resulting in the deaths of over two dozen people and injuring more than 3,000. Following this, several walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah members also exploded during funerals for the victims, claiming more lives and injuring many more.
Just four days after these incidents, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu warned Hassan Nasrallah, stating that no one was beyond their reach. In response to these threats, Nasrallah’s security was tightened, and he began to avoid staying in one location for too long.
Israeli intelligence somehow managed to locate Nasrallah’s whereabouts and determined that he would leave a meeting at a specific site. They informed their military that he was present in an underground headquarters built by Hezbollah, which was over 50 feet deep. This multi-story building had one floor where Nasrallah was reportedly located at that moment.
In response to this intelligence, aircraft from Israeli Air Force Unit 119 dropped over 100 bombs on the exact location of Hassan Nasrallah within minutes. Each bomb was designed to penetrate and explode within the fortified bunkers, going as deep as 50 to 70 meters underground.
Israel utilized bunker buster bombs, specifically types GBU-28 and GBU-37, which are equipped with laser or GPS-guided systems. These systems not only ensure precise targeting but also minimize collateral damage.
At the time of the strike, another leader, Ali Krik, was also present, and his body was found alongside Nasrallah’s. Hezbollah confirmed the martyrdom of their leader several hours after Israeli claims, shortly after the Fajr (dawn) prayer, and has since appointed Naeem Qassem as the interim head.
