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Did Israel kill Hezbollah chief Nasrallah in an attack in Beirut?

The fate of Hassan Nasrallah, Israel's top target in recent years, is still unclear. The fact that Israel attacked Hezbollah headquarters while Nasrallah was there is a dramatic development.

First of all, Israel makes it clear that Nasrallah is sentenced to death. Second, it demonstrates Israel's intelligence capabilities and resolve. Third, Israel shows that it has no red lines in the fight against Hezbollah – every person and every place where Hezbollah operates will be decisively attacked.

The attack was carried out by the Israeli Air Force's 119th “Bat” Squadron using an F-16i aircraft, known in the IAF as “Sufa” (Storm). The planes dropped tons of ammunition. Israel carried out the bombing while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was on American soil in New York.

Hassan Nasrallah, 64, has been the leader of Hezbollah for four decades and one of Israel's most challenging opponents in recent decades. He has close ties to Iran and although he did not find Hezbollah, he shaped the organization in his image.

Nasrallah began his career in the organization while attending school in the city of Tire. He frequently visited the main mosque and caught the attention of the preacher Muhammad al-Gharawi, who was impressed by Nasrallah's intelligence and interest in theological studies.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, August 5, 2024 (Source: SHUTTERSTOCK)

Al-Gharawi recommended him to Ayatollah Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr, a leading figure in the Shia seminaries in Najaf, Iraq. After graduating from high school about a year later, Nasrallah moved to Najaf to begin his studies.

Formation of Hezbollah

There he met al-Sadr, who placed him under the tutelage of Abbas al-Musawi, a Lebanese student from the Bekaa Valley who later became Hezbollah leader. At the age of 16, Nasrallah formed a deep bond with al-Musawi, whose teachings significantly shaped his worldview.

After al-Musawi's assassination, Nasrallah was named his successor.

At the time, Israeli officials underestimated the young leader's potential to surpass his predecessors and make Hezbollah a far more powerful and dangerous organization than before.



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