‘Operation New Order’: Everything known about the strike that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah

The IDF and Hezbollah confirmed on Saturday that the terror group’s secretary-general, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in a massive airstrike on the group’s headquarters in the Dahiyeh district of Lebanon’s capital Beirut on Friday evening.

Along with Nasrallah, Ali Karaki, the commander of Hezbollah’s southern front was killed, as well as Brig.-Gen. Abbas Nilforoushan, a high-ranking officer in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) Quds Force, and several other Hezbollah commanders.

“The State of Israel has eliminated Hassan Nasrallah - the leader of Hezbollah. He was the murderer of thousands of Israelis and foreign citizens,” said Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

“He was an immediate threat to the lives of thousands of Israelis and other citizens. To our enemies, I say: we are strong and determined. To our partners, I would say: our war, is your war. And to the people of Lebanon, I say: our war is not with you. It’s time for change.”

We searched up “dismantled” on the internet, this is the picture that came up: pic.twitter.com/C5p3jmhwIZ

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) September 28, 2024

According to the IDF, the strike dubbed “Operation New Order” was carried out by F-15 fighter jets belonging to the Air Force’s 69th Squadron, based in Hatzerim airbase near Beersheba.

“Fighter jets of the Air Force, under the precise intelligence guidance of the intelligence wing and the defense system, attacked the central headquarters of Hezbollah, which is located underground, under a residential building in the Dahiyeh area of ​​Beirut,” according to the IDF.

Contrary to the Second Lebanon War in 2006, this time the Israeli intelligence had known about Nasrallah’s whereabouts for months and even considered striking him within days of the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel, according to Walla News.

This is who Hassan Nasrallah was: pic.twitter.com/DNoSkx94QM

— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) September 28, 2024

Last Wednesday, the conditions again ripened for IDF Intelligence to recommend striking him, and the political leadership gave the initial green light to start preparations for "Operation New Order."

According to Walla News, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintained his public schedule and announced he would travel to the U.S. for a speech at the United Nations as part of the deception to enable the strike.

This also included the continuation of ceasefire talks with the United States, even while preparations for the strike were advancing. According to Channel 12 News, this explains the anger of U.S. officials, as well as the muted response by the Biden administration after the successful strike.

This made Hezbollah feel secure enough to convene a high-level meeting of Nasrallah and several of his remaining top commanders, including Karaki, who had recently escaped an assassination attempt with Iranian general Abbas Nilforoushan.

PM @netanyahu lands in NY. According to his office, he approved the strike on the head of Hezbollah’s aerial forces, known as Abu Salah, from his plane Wing of Zion. pic.twitter.com/252lp0bu0J

— Lazar Berman (@Lazar_Berman) September 26, 2024

While intelligence gathering continued, the Israeli Cabinet held a phone discussion into the early hours of Friday morning and then authorized Netanyahu and Gallant to proceed with the strike. When the necessary intelligence was gathered, the green light was given shortly before the start of Netanyahu’s United Nations General Assembly speech.

Gallant and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi descended into the underground command center in the IDF’s Kirya headquarters, also known as the “pit.”

The aftermath of the IDF strike on Beirut. pic.twitter.com/AJ5bmzX2mD

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) September 27, 2024

Along with the head of Military Intelligence, Maj.-Gen. Shlomi Binder, Air Force Commander Maj.-Gen. Tomer Bar and Chief of Operations Maj.-Gen. Oded Basiuk, watched as drones transmitted live footage of the massive strikes.

Around 6:20 p.m., dozens of bombs precisely struck their targets and completely destroyed the headquarters, as well as almost the entire remaining command staff of Hezbollah.

The 69th Squadron commander, Lt.-Col. Matan told Army Radio that the aircrews had been preparing days ahead, without knowing the objective of the operation. They were only told who the target would be several hours before.

״סדר חדש״

״אנחנו נגיע לכל אחד ולכל מקום״: מטוסי חיל-האוויר בחיסול חסן נסראללה ומפקדת חיזבאללה בלבנון pic.twitter.com/Hi4fXfPhL2

— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) September 28, 2024

“A lot of people from the technical setup of the base and the squadron were under the wings and sweating 24/7 for the benefit of this big and significant event. We were alert for several days until the opportunity arose. We knew this was a very unusual opportunity and we needed to know how to succeed and be 100% prepared,” Matan explained.

“The crews that flew are diverse – some only finished the training a year ago, and alongside them are reservists. People from the age of 23 to the age of 50 in a diverse structure. Me and a reservist led the operation.”

According to Israeli media, over 80 one-ton bombs were used to “dig” deep into the ground and reached Hezbollah’s high command bunker, located under six apartment buildings that were completely flattened.

Footage shared by Lebanese media shows the large Israeli airstrikes in the Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut. https://t.co/KvtjKMqyeK pic.twitter.com/PX1D1ODC94

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) September 27, 2024

The commander of the Hatzerim base, Brig.-Gen. Amichai Levin explained: “Dozens of munitions hit the target within seconds with very high precision, this is part of the ability required to hit this deep underground. Accuracy and synchronization with a very large amount of armament is required here… This is a certificate of honor for the technical teams of the base and the squadron.”

Matan said that following the operation, he first hugged his team and then his technical officer who had a personal grudge against Hezbollah.

“His uncle was killed in the Hezbollah attack in 2006 on the border and, for him, it was a closing of the circle. And the third hug was when I returned home to my wife, whose family was evacuated from a settlement close to the border in the north,” he said.