Israel Had Real-Time Intelligence on Nasrallah’s Meeting, Military Reports

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel executed a lethal strike against Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah after uncovering plans for him to meet with senior commanders in the group’s underground headquarters located in southern Beirut, the Israeli military announced on Saturday.

This strike occurred shortly after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York, emphasizing Israel’s refusal to tolerate Hezbollah’s presence along its borders. The action follows recent assassinations of several high-ranking members within Hezbollah.

Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani stated that the operation, dubbed "New Order," took place on Friday when Nasrallah and Hezbollah’s leadership gathered to devise further attacks on Israel.

"We had real-time intelligence, an operational opportunity that enabled us to execute this strike," he remarked during a press briefing.

According to Israeli Army Radio, the head of the air force squadron involved in the operation revealed that pilots were informed of the target only shortly before departure. "The pilots did not know what the target was during the planning stages of the operation," the officer, referred to as Lieutenant Colonel M., explained. "They were briefed on the target just a few hours before execution and understood their mission."

While Shoshani refrained from confirming whether the assault utilized U.S.-made Mark 84 heavy bombs, Brigadier General Amichai Levin, commander of Hatzerim air base, noted that multiple munitions struck the target in rapid succession.

The strike also resulted in the death of Ali Karaki, the head of Hezbollah’s southern front, who Israel had previously attempted to kill earlier in the week, as stated by Shoshani.

Hezbollah acknowledged Nasrallah’s death and declared that it would persist in its fight against Israel "in support of Gaza and Palestine, and in defense of Lebanon."

Since the conflict reignited following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 last year, both sides have engaged in daily missile and rocket exchanges, leading to mass evacuations along the border and the abandonment of vast areas.

Tensions have sharply escalated in recent weeks as Israel has systematically targeted Hezbollah’s top military figures as part of a strategy aimed at undermining the group’s operational capabilities.

"We have been collecting intelligence on Nasrallah for several years. For decades, we have been gathering intelligence with the expectation that he may initiate conflict,” added Shoshani. “Our real-time information led to the execution of this strike."