Nasrallah eliminated as IDF strikes Hezbollah headquarters in Beirut

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This article was updated following IDF confirmation that Hezbollah leader was killed in the Israeli airstrike.

The Israeli military carried out a massive airstrike on Hezbollah’s central headquarters in Beirut on Friday evening. The target was the terror organization’s leader, Sec.-Gen. Hassan Nasrallah.

Initially it is unclear whether Nasrallah was hit during the strike, an Israeli source told Axios. Arab and Iranian sources who spoke with Sky News Arabia, Iran's Tasnim news agency and Reuters suggested that he was alive.

“The Israel Defense Forces carried out a precise strike on the Central Headquarters of the Hezbollah terror organization - that served as the epicenter of Hezbollah's terror,” the IDF’s spokesperson confirmed in a statement. “Hezbollah's central headquarters was intentionally built under residential buildings in the heart of the Dahieh, in Beirut, as part of Hezbollah's strategy of using Lebanese people as human shields.”

Videos from the strike spiraling on social media showed large plumes of smoke and dust over the Beirut suburb. Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV channel said four residential buildings had been destroyed. At least two people were killed and at least 76 others injured, the Lebanese Health Ministry reported.

BREAKING - reports coming in this strike on a Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut has resulted in the assassination of leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Reminder to all - Hezbollah has the blood of HUNDREDS of U.S. service members on their hands, along with Israelis. pic.twitter.com/XISoE9I8nr
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) September 27, 2024

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was at the UN headquarters in New York at the time of the attack in Beirut. His office published a photo of the prime minister authorizing the attack. Just a short time beforehand, Netanyahu wrapped up his speech at the 79th General Assembly and held a briefing for Israeli media outlets. He reportedly had to leave abruptly as the events unfolded, before answering questions from reporters.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the approval of the airstrike in Beirut (Photo: PMO media dept.)

In light of the serious developments on the northern front of the war, the prime minister has decided to cut short his visit to the U.S. and depart for Israel on Friday night. It is rare for Israeli leaders to travel during Shabbat.

Meanwhile, the United States said it had no advance knowledge of Israel’s plan to strike Hezbollah’s main headquarters.

"Minister [Yoav] Gallant spoke with Secretary Austin as the operation was already underway," said Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh. "This operation has happened within the last few hours. We are still assessing the event."

The Israeli strike took place despite mounting international pressure for a ceasefire. The U.S., France and other G7 allies called for a 21-day pause in the fighting to provide space for diplomacy. The joint statement issued on Wednesday made no mention of the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah once.

“Due to a lot of misreporting around the U.S.-led ceasefire initiative, it is important to clarify a few points,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement released on Friday morning.

“Earlier this week, the United States shared with Israel its intention to put forward, together with other international and regional partners, a ceasefire proposal in Lebanon. Israel shares the aims of the U.S.-led initiative of enabling people along our northern border to return safely and securely to their homes. Israel appreciates the U.S. efforts in this regard because the U.S. role is indispensable in advancing stability and security in the region. Our teams met (Thursday, Sept. 26) to discuss the U.S. initiative and how we can advance the shared goal of returning people safely to their homes. We will continue those discussions in the coming days.”

Also on Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the IDF was planning an additional sequence of operations against Hezbollah forces, including a possible ground incursion into Lebanon.

Hezbollah fired more than 9,000 missiles at Israel’s territory since Oct. 8, causing over 60,000 Israeli civilians in the north to evacuate their homes for almost an entire year.