LOS ANGELES.–Eliminated by a precision 2,000 pound bomb at his underground bunker in Beirut Sept. 23, Israel completed a nearly impossible task of vaporizing Sayed Hassan Nasrallah. Head of Iranian-funded Hezbollah, AKA Party of God, the terror ground was founded by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenei in 1982, giving Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution purpose, declaring its goal of destroying Israel. Nasrallah headed Hezbollah since 1992, its preeminent anti-Semitic, anti-Zionist advocate, joining the Palestinian cause of annihilating the Jewish State. Khomenei knew that Jews lived in Iran for centuries, contributing to Iranian culture, serving as its best scientists, writers, artists, academics and doctors, until he led the 1979 Islamic Revolution, ousting Shah Reza Mohammed Pahlavi, starting the new age of anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism, leaving Iran a pariah state with other terrorist groups.
Eliminating Nasrallah was once considered unthinkable since the 2006, 32-day Israeli-Lebanon War that ended in a virtual stalemate, giving Nasrallah new cache in the anti-Israel global community. Targeting Nasrallah intensified in the last month after Israel’s July 31 targeted assassination of Palestine leader-in-exile Ismail Haniyech in Tehran. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed retaliation ordering Nasrallah to intensify his rocket attacks in northern Israel, prompting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to neutralize Nasrallah. Nasrallah was killed together with other Hezbollah commanders, including paramilitary Revolutionary Guard commander Abbas Nilforushan, 58, who directly answers to the Ayatollah. Hezbollah was never independent of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, with its operation directed against Israel by the Ayatollah.
Lt. Col Nadav Sho Shohani army spokeman said IDF had tracked Nasrallah in real time for some time, before receiving the green light to target Nasrallah at his bunker headquarters in Beirut. No matter how safe Nasrallah thought himself, he was concerned about Israel tracking him down from cell phone use, something he banned Hezbollah officials six months ago, ordering 5,000 digital pagers. Two weeks ago Israel detonated pagers and walkie-talkies killing scores of Hezbollah and injuring thousands others. Nasrallah stepped up his bombing, not knowing that he would be targeted by Netanyahu who was actually in New York for a speech at the U.N. Netanyahu left early to return to Israel to what now becomes the most significant terrorist target in Israeli’s 76-year-old history. Hamas promised that it would stiffen its resistance with Nasrallah’s martyrdom in Beirut.
Hamas has virtually no infrastructure or military left other than what’s in its military tunnels under Gaza. Like Nasrallah, Israel is even more focused on getting Oct. 7, 2023 62-year-old mastermind Yahya Sinwar, another leader living-in-hiding. Hamas has only its unending propaganda about what it intends to do to Israel, knowing that whatever resistance it once had, it’s been dramatically degraded, something that would take years to replace. Sinwar can never appear in public again without exposing himself to almost certain death. “Assassinations will only increase the resistance in Lebanon and Palestine in determination and resolve,” Hamas said, pretending it was stronger than ever. Hezbollah’s Beirut devotees were in disbelief over his assassination. “No! it was just an announcement! No, he didn’t die,” screamed an unknown woman, expressing disbelief in Beirut.
Calling the Nasrallah strike “the most important targeted strike since the founding of the State of Israel,” Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzl Halevi said it was “not the end of our toolbox,” warning of more strikes to eliminate Hezbollah’s vast arsenal of Iranian-made rockets. More than 60,000 Israelis were drive from kibbutzes, homes and villages in northern Israel since the Gaza Hamas war begin Oct. 8, 2023. Whey Hezbollah’s Beirut-based, Iranian militia was willing to risk the security of Beirut’s beleaguered population is anyone’s guess. Nasrallah took his orders from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, pushing Netanyahu into his latest operation against the Hezbollah leader. Nasrallah cheered the Oct. 7 massacre of 1,200 Israelis and others, taking another 250 hostages, hoping the atrocity would be the beginning of a new war of annihilation against the Jewish State.
Nasrallah found out what hubris will do to grandiose leaders thinking that they’re part of a new Islamic-type revolution. Hamas and their Hezbollah ally found out again they’re no match for Israel’s might and sophistication in conducting counter-terrorism operations, know where, how and when to target terror operations. All Hamas can say now it that Israel hasn’t yet killed Sinwar, currently holed up in Gaza’s military tunnels. Whether Israel gets Sinwar now or later, Netanyahu has served notice to his enemies that he will spare nothing when it comes to the survival of Israel. Whether admitted to or not, the target of the next operation for Israel and its U.S. ally is the Ayatollah. Netanyahu knows he can’t stop all terrorist attacks against Israel until he goes after the chief sponsor on state terrorism. Ayatollah Khamenei should think twice of his next moves against the Jewish State.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
