How Israeli spies infiltrated Nasrallah’s hideout

BEIRUT — Israeli spies infiltrated Hezbollah’s stronghold in Beirut in September 2024, as war raged between Israel and Hezbollah, installing devices that guided airstrikes which killed Hassan Nasrallah on Sept. 27, 2024, according to reports published Sunday by the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronoth.

The Mossad mission was carried out while Israeli fighter jets bombarded Hezbollah strongholds in the southern suburbs of Beirut, the outlet reported.

Several agents infiltrated Haret Hreik, carrying carefully concealed packages. The team slipped through narrow alleyways, hoping that their superiors had coordinated with the Israeli army so the military wouldn’t bomb their escape route. Their destination was a residential building under which an underground bunker served as the Shiite party’s headquarters, according to the reports.

Dig deeper

Audio recording of Nasrallah discussing Hezbollah rules of engagement surfaces online

Intelligence passed to Unit 8200 and Israeli military intelligence services indicated that Nasrallah was set to meet in the bunker with the commander of Iran’s Al-Quds Force in Lebanon, General Abbas Nilforoushan, and the chief of Hezbollah’s southern front, Ali Karaki, seen as a possible Nasrallah successor.

Only a handful of Hezbollah guards and close associates knew about the bunker, according to the Israeli press. Mossad agents were tasked with placing their devices in predetermined locations inside the building. The team completed its mission amid bombing, installing the devices and slipping away undetected.

Hours before setting out, the agents had a tense discussion with their Mossad supervisor. They said they were ready for the mission but demanded that the air force pause its heavy bombardment during their infiltration. The supervisor insisted otherwise: the raids would not only continue but intensify, forcing Hezbollah guards to seek shelter and giving the agents a window to reach the bunker.

This operation enabled the Israeli army to eliminate Nasrallah on Sept. 27, 2024, in Beirut’s southern suburbs, during intense strikes that shook the Lebanese capital. A cease-fire was implemented on Nov. 27, 2024, but Israel continues to strike Hezbollah targets almost daily.