Hassan Nasrallah has led the Hezbollah movement for over 30 years. He is described as an “iconic leadership figure”. At the same time, he has not appeared in public for many years. On the night of Saturday, the Israeli military (IDF) killed Nasrallah in an attack south of Lebanon’s capital, Beirut. Photo: Amr Abdallah Dalsh / Reuters/ NTB How did the IDF manage this? The New York Times has spoken to three senior, anonymous defense officials. They say that the operation against the bunker was carried out quickly. This was to take advantage of a narrow window of time before the leader would leave the area, one of the defense employees told the newspaper. Facts about Hezbollah The Hezbollah movement emerged in the 1980s. The group currently consists of a political and a military branch. It mostly resides in southern Lebanon. Has been led by Hassan Nasrallah, who has not appeared in public for many years. On Saturday 28 September, Hezbollah confirmed that Nasrallah was killed in Israeli strikes in Beirut. In July 2006, armed conflict broke out again between Hezbollah and Israel. The fighting lasted one month. The Hezbollah militia is now militarily stronger than the Lebanese National Security Forces. Is on the US terror list. On 22 July 2013, the military part of the organization was put on the EU’s terrorist list. Refuses to comply with a UN resolution demanding the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon. Hezbollah cooperates with Iran and Hamas, the Palestinian group that rules the Gaza Strip and is at war with Israel. Hezbollah began new attacks against Israel after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. Since then, Israel and Hamas have attacked each other a number of times. In July, a rocket hits a soccer field in the Golan Heights, which is controlled by Israel. Shortly afterwards, Israel carries out an airstrike against Beirut which kills Hezbollah leader Fouad Shukur. The following day, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh is killed in an attack in Iran’s capital, Tehran. Hezbollah, Hamas and Iran promise revenge against Israel. In August, Israel and Hezbollah carry out a major attack against each other. Source: US.State dep. EU, NTB, Store norske lexikon According to the New York Times, Israeli intelligence services had been monitoring Nasrallah’s movements for several months. The information was gathered through a combination of human sources, electronic eavesdropping and satellite surveillance. – We have used advanced surveillance techniques to track Nasrallah’s movements, and this was crucial for planning the attack, said one of the anonymous defense employees. Use of special bombs Finding Nasrallah was the first step. The massive bombing in southern Beirut was next. Israel used “bunker-buster” bombs in the attack, commander at Hatzerim airbase, Amichai Levine, tells the Jerusalem Post. – About a hundred charges were used, with bombs being dropped every two seconds with perfect precision, Levine says of the attack. Such bombs are designed to penetrate thick concrete and underground bunkers, and can reach many meters into the ground. Levine says the operation was the result of close cooperation between the Air Force and intelligence. KILLED: Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah photographed during a speech in Lebanon in 2015. DAGGRY: Residents on a hill watch airstrike smoke rise from the southern suburbs of Beirut on Saturday morning. Photo: Hussein Malla / AP / NTB DESTROYED: A neighborhood in southern Beirut has suffered massive damage after the airstrikes. Photo: ANWAR AMRO / AFP / NTB SLEEPLESS NIGHT: Many residents spent the night on the open street in Beirut’s southern suburbs. On the night of Saturday, Israel carried out several attacks against specific targets in Lebanon. Photo: Yama Wolasmal / news UNDER ATTACK: Children on the streets in Lebanon. On the night of Saturday, Israel carried out several attacks against specific targets in Lebanon. Photo: Yama Wolasmal EXPLOSIONS: On the night of Saturday, Israel carried out several attacks against specific targets in Lebanon. Photo: Hassan Ammar / AP NEW ATTACKS: On the night of Saturday, Israel carried out several attacks against specific targets in Lebanon. Photo: Hussein Mala / AP/NTB 50,000 refugees Thousands of people have left their homes after new attacks south of Beirut’s capital. The district of Dahieh in Beirut was badly hit, and many have evacuated to the center of the city for safety. BEIRUT: Many fled their homes and camped in open parking lots in Beirut overnight on Saturday. Photo: Yama Wolasmal / news Hospitals in the southern suburbs have had to evacuate patients after heavy attacks. Many families have set up camp in open parking lots, in parks and along the coast to avoid the dangers at home. The Ministry of Health in Lebanon reports that at least 33 people were killed and 195 were wounded in the Israeli attack on Lebanon on Saturday. Over 50,000 people have fled to Syria, and more than 200,000 are internally displaced, according to the UN. It is believed that around 1 million people have been displaced by Israeli attacks since Monday, writes CNN citing the crisis management center in Lebanon. Hezbollah began firing rockets at Israel on October 8, after the Hamas attack in Israel that started the Gaza war. Israel has responded with a series of major attacks in Lebanon, particularly in the south. Warns of revenge The Prime Minister of Lebanon has declared three days of national mourning after the murder of Nasrallah. In addition, several high-ranking members of Hezbollah were also killed. Among them were Hassan Khalil Yassin, head of the Muhammad Ali Ismail rocket unit, and Abbas Nilforousha, a general in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. Hezbollah has close ties to Iran. Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, stated: – Nasrallah’s blood will not go unavenged. Iran’s leader Ali Khamenei. Photo: Iranian authorities US President, Joe Biden, stated that the killing of Nasrallah brings justice to many victims. – The US fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis and any other Iranian-backed terrorist group. The Norwegian foreign minister, Espen Barth Eide, expressed concern: – This is extremely serious. The situation is more dangerous than in a very long time. Published 28.09.2024, at 22.34 Updated 29.09.2024, at 06.28
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Lived in the shadows – how the Hezbollah leader was killed – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
