Yesterday evening (Friday), the IDF executed one of its largest assassination operations ever, targeting the bunker that served as Hezbollah’s official headquarters, located on the outskirts of Beirut. In the strike, Hassan Nasrallah, the organization’s Secretary-General, was killed along with Ali Karaki (Hezbollah’s Southern Command leader, who survived an assassination attempt just days earlier), Abbas Nilforoushan (commander of the Lebanon Corps of Iran’s Quds Force and the successor to Mahdavi, who was killed six months ago), and several other senior figures.
Nasrallah was one of Israel’s most bitter, formidable, and enduring enemies. Over 32 years, he led Hezbollah, transforming it from a small terrorist group with a few hundred fighters into the world’s largest and most powerful non-state military organization, with tens of thousands of fighters and international influence, as well as the dominant political movement in Lebanon. Israel fought him during the security zone operations, such as “Operation Accountability” and “Operation Grapes of Wrath,” the 2006 Second Lebanon War (which claimed the lives of 165 Israeli soldiers), and on the northern front in the current war. Nasrallah was known in every household and street in Israel and had a dramatic influence on the country’s history. While there may be no sorrow for his passing, he will undoubtedly be remembered for a long time.
This assassination represents a dramatic turning point in the war and the Middle East as a whole. There is no avoiding the recognition that the Third Lebanon War has effectively begun, and Israel must continue to strike Hezbollah while the iron is hot, aiming to neutralize the threat to northern residents and the rest of the country. The assassination also impacts the broader Middle Eastern dynamics, specifically the strength of the Shiite axis globally. Hezbollah is now on the brink of collapse or significant change, and it remains to be seen how the organization will respond to Israel.
For the time being, the initiative is entirely in Israel’s hands, and Hezbollah is struggling to respond due to the loss of systemic command and the ongoing Israeli strikes. Hundreds of missiles and rockets were fired across Israel today, resulting in only a few injuries. It is important to recognize that Hezbollah had prepared for the scenario of a powerful Israeli preemptive strike, so it is essential to be ready for defense while continuing the offensive. The IDF has called up additional reserve brigades, and according to the Chief of Staff, it is fully prepared for a ground operation in Lebanon.
More than anything, this attack reflects a shift in Israel’s approach, breaking the fear barrier and dispelling Hezbollah’s deterrence. The strike occurred almost simultaneously with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech at the United Nations, which he approved remotely. “As long as Hezbollah chooses the path of war, Israel has no choice but to remove this threat from our border. That’s exactly what we are doing,” Netanyahu said to the world just minutes before the strike. Indeed, Israel has woken up to a new day. The real war in the north has just begun, but Israel is no longer the same. It is stronger, more determined, and will not stop until victory is achieved.
