Israel-Hamas War: What happened on Day 359?

Israeli leaders had been tracking the location of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s for months, and the decision to strike on Friday came solely because they believed they only had a short window of opportunity before he would disappear to a different location, three senior Israeli defense officials told The New York Times on Saturday.

According to NYT, the officials said that more than 80 bombs were dropped over several minutes to kill Nasrallah him, although they did not confirm the weight or model of the bombs used. The Hezbollah leader was confirmed dead on Saturday.

The sources, who spoke to NYT anonymously, added that the operation had been planned earlier in the week before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left to speak at the United Nations General Assembly. 

All three officials said Hashem Safieddine was one of Hezbollah’s few remaining senior leaders who hadn't been at the strike site.

The officials told NYT they believed Safieddine could be announced as Hezbollah’s new Secretary General.

Sayyed Hashem Safieddine, head of the Hezbollah Executive Council, pays his condolences to Ali Badreddine, the son of top Hezbollah commander Mustafa Badreddine who was killed in an attack in Syria, in Beirut's southern suburb, Lebanon May 13, 2016. (credit: AZIZ TAHER/REUTERS)

Nasrallah's body was identified by Hezbollah operatives early on Saturday morning, as well as the body of high level Hezbollah military commander, Ali Karaki, the officials said.

Who is Hashem Safieddine?

Designated a terrorist by the US State Department in 2017, Hashem Safieddine is a cousin of Nasrallah, who has long been regarded as a potential successor.

As head of the executive council, Safieddine oversees Hezbollah's political affairs. He also sits on the Jihad Council, which manages the group's military operations.

F-15I aircraft from the 69th fighter squadron at 6:20 p.m. on Friday night dropped close to 100 bombs on Hezbollah’s underground headquarters in the heart of Beirut, killing the terror group’s chief of 32 years, Hassan Nasrallah, and potentially reordering the region.

Nasrallah was killed, alongside other Hezbollah commanders including Ali Karaki, Hezbollah’s new military chief designate and current commander of the southern front, whom the IDF has just missed killing last week.

The attack involved a decade of intelligence collected both by the IDF and the Mossad as well as a variety of last-minute deceptions to ensure that Nasrallah would not flee the area. 

It also involved GBU-31 bunker buster bombs in order to drive down deep enough under the large residential building in Beirut where the headquarters was hidden.

IDF Brig.-Gen. Amichai Levine, the newly appointed commander of the IAF’s Hatzerim Airbase, said that a large number of aircraft dropped additional bombs one after the other every few seconds to ensure there was no way Nasrallah could survive

Ironically, Levine also added that it was his birthday and that taking out Nasrallah was an unusually good birthday present.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (left) with IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi (center), and Israel Air Force commander Tomer Bar (right) operating in the Israel Air Force command center with members of the IDF general staff during the IDF strike in Beirut Friday, September 28, 2024. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON UNIT)

US President Joe Biden on Saturday called Israel’s killing of Nasrallah “a measure of justice” for his many victims, and said the United States fully supported Israel’s right to defend itself against Iran-supported groups.

Biden said he had directed Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to further enhance the defense posture of US military forces in the Middle East to deter aggression and reduce the risk of a broader war.

Ultimately, he said, the US aimed to de-escalate ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon through diplomatic means. He did not address a comment from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei saying Nasrallah’s death would be avenged.

'An historical turning point'

On Saturday night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the killing of Nasrallah was an historical turning point that could change the balance of power in the Middle East, though he warned of “challenging days” ahead.

“Nasrallah was not a terrorist, he was the terrorist,” Netanyahu said in a statement. “Nasrallah’s killing was a necessary step toward achieving the goals we have set, returning residents of the North safely to their homes and changing the balance of power in the region for years to come,” he said.

Soon after arriving in Israel from New York, Netanyahu said Israel has “settled the account” with a “mass murderer” responsible for the killings of countless Israelis and dozens of American and French citizens.

He added that, early last week, he recognized that even the heavy strikes Israel had inflicted on Hezbollah would not be sufficient, and that “eliminating Nasrallah was an essential condition for achieving the aims that we have set out — returning the residents of the North safely to their homes and changing the balance of power in the region for years.”

“So I gave the order and Nasrallah is no longer with us.”

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was holding talks late on Saturday on possibly expanding Israel’s military offensive on its northern front, his office said in a statement.

Israel's next steps

Despite the stunning attack by the air force and expectations that Hezbollah might finally fire its full arsenal of likely still over 100,000 rockets on Israel (out of more than 150,000 prewar), the terror organization had only fired 90 rockets on the Jewish state following Nasrallah’s death as of press time.

Accordingly, little had changed regarding Israeli home front restrictions.

There remain heavy restrictions on Haifa and areas northward, which have been in place since last weekend, but central Israel was only given a restriction from having outdoor gatherings of more than 1,000 – meaning schools and workplaces continue to operate normally.

In the broader sense, the IDF said that it believed the death of Nasrallah could: 1) potentially bring Hezbollah to a ceasefire that would make the northern border sufficiently secure for Israel’s 60,000 residents who have been evacuated from there; 2) bring Hamas back to the negotiating table to exchange Israeli hostages; and 3) deter Iran from some of its broader adventurism against Israel.

At the same time that the IDF killed Nasrallah, it kept up heavy attacks on Hezbollah’s rocket network and assets throughout Saturday, including killing a top Hezbollah intelligence official.

Further, the IDF has continually bombed the Syrian-Lebanese border to prevent new arms from arriving to Hezbollah from Iran by land and intercepted an Iranian aircraft that was on its way to Lebanon likely to bring arms, forcing the aircraft to turn back while in Iraqi airspace.

“This is not the end of our toolbox,” IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi said in a statement following the announcement of Nasrallah’s death.

“Those who threaten the citizens of the State of Israel – we will know how to reach them – in the North, in the South, and even in more distant places,” Halevi said.

“After a long period of preparing many capabilities for Lebanon, we have begun implementing them. This strike had also been prepared for a long time and executed at the right time, precisely,” he said.

“We are now moving forward with sharp preparation for the next steps. Ultimately, I emphasize again that we are maintaining maximum readiness across all of our sectors. All forces, including coordination with other organizations, must be well coordinated and highly prepared,” the chief of staff concluded.

Hezbollah confirms leader's death

Lebanon’s Hezbollah confirmed on Saturday that its leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah had been killed.

The group said in a statement that it would continue its battle against Israel “in support of Gaza and Palestine, and in defense of Lebanon and its steadfast and honorable people.”

Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV started airing Quran verses after the announcement of Nasrallah’s death.

The underground command center was embedded beneath a residential building, the IDF noted in its report on Saturday, where Nasrallah and his top commanders were coordinating terrorist activities against Israel at the time of the attack.

During Nasrallah’s 32-year leadership of Hezbollah, he was responsible for directing nearly all of the group’s major terror operations and strategy, including attacks on Israeli civilians and soldiers, as well as international attacks that killed other nationals worldwide.

Under his command, Hezbollah joined Hamas in attacking Israel with rockets on October 8, 2023, further escalating violence in the region.

Nasrallah had ordered thousands upon thousands of attacks on Israel in recent year with rockets, anti-tank missiles, and drones.

His daughter Zainab was reportedly killed in the same Israeli airstrike targeting Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Friday.

Nasrallah began his political journey in 1976 at the age of 16 when he traveled to Iraq and joined the Shia movement, the Dawa Party. In 1982, he co-founded Hezbollah with Iranian support after leaving the Amal Movement, quickly securing a senior position and overseeing the Bekaa area by age 22.

By 1985, he was deputy chairman of the Beirut Council and became the military leader in the city. In 1987, he was appointed head of the Operational Executive Council and became a member of Hezbollah’s Supreme Council.

Following the IDF’s assassination of Abbas al-Musawi, Nasrallah assumed leadership of Hezbollah in 1992.

Ali Karaki had commanded Hezbollah’s Southern Front since 2007, overseeing the group’s military activities in southern Lebanon. He was responsible for building extensive weapon stockpiles and deploying thousands of operatives along the Israeli border. He was due to replace Fuad Shukr, whom Israel killed on July 30, as Hezbollah’s military chief, second only to Nasrallah.

Since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas War, Karaki had directed rocket launches, anti-tank missile attacks, and UAV strikes, resulting in significant damage among Israeli civilians and soldiers, and causing extensive damage in northern Israel.
His strategy involved embedding Hezbollah within civilian areas, utilizing homes and the local population as human shields in their assaults on Israel. A founding member of Hezbollah’s military operations in the 1980s, he had a history of orchestrating numerous terror attacks against Israelis.

At press time, Hezbollah had not yet selected a replacement for Nasrallah, but reports were rampant predicting Hashem Safieddine as his heir.

As head of the executive council, Safieddine oversees Hezbollah’s political affairs. He also sits on the Jihad Council, which manages the group’s military operations.

Safieddine is a cousin of Nasrallah and, like him, a cleric who wears a black turban denoting descent from Islam’s Prophet Muhammad.

The US State Department designated him a terrorist in 2017, and in June, he threatened a big escalation against Israel after the killing of another Hezbollah commander. “Let [the enemy] prepare himself to cry and wail,” he said at the funeral.

Safieddine’s public statements often reflect Hezbollah’s militant stance and its alignment with the Palestinian cause.
At a recent event in Dahiyeh, Hezbollah’s stronghold in Beirut’s southern suburbs, he declared, “Our history, our guns, and our rockets are with you,” in a show of solidarity with Palestinian fighters.

Nasrallah “started tailoring positions for him within a variety of different councils within Lebanese Hezbollah. Some of them were more opaque than others. They’ve had him come, go out, and speak,” said Phillip Smyth, an expert who studies Iran-backed Shi’ite militias.

Safieddine’s family ties, physical resemblance to Nasrallah, and religious status as a descendant of Muhammad would all count in his favor.

He has also been vocal in his criticism of US policy. In response to American pressure on Hezbollah, he stated in 2017 that “This mentally impeded, crazy US administration headed by [then-president Donald] Trump will not be able to harm the resistance,” asserting that such actions would only strengthen Hezbollah’s resolve.

In the same attack that killed Nasrallah, Iran Revolutionary Guards Corps deputy commander Abbas Nilforoushan was also killed, Iranian media reported on Saturday.

Nilforoushan was a key player in Iranian actions in the region, advising Hezbollah on military and diplomatic affairs, according to Khabar Online.

He is believed to have played a major role in crushing protests against the Iranian regime and fought with the Assad regime during the Syrian Civil War.

Nilforoushan had previously hinted at attacks on Israel, according to Iran International.

The IRGC official told Etemad Online in February that Tehran was keeping track of the “enemies’” activities and would “settle scores” on a regular basis with them.

Top Israeli defense sources refused to tell The Jerusalem Post whether they knew he was present and whether his presence there was a factor for or against killing Nasrallah specifically on Friday.

At press time, Iran was alternately threatening retaliation, invoking a five-day mourning period, and continuing to refrain from directly attacking Israel despite nearly two weeks of the IDF pummeling Hezbollah and the Islamic Republic losing one of its greatest allies.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei took to X/Twitter on Saturday to express his feelings on the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasralla on Friday.

In the hours following the IDF’s confirmation of Nasrallah’s death, alongside several other top Hezbollah leaders, Khamenei tweeted a total of twenty times. In some, the Iranian leader congratulated Nasrallah for becoming a martyr, and announced five national days of mourning in Iran.

"The Islamic world has lost a noble figure, the Resistance Front has lost an eminent standard-bearer, and Lebanon’s Hezbollah has lost an unparalleled leader. However, the blessings from Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah's decades of planning and jihad will never be lost."

Khameini referred to Nasrallah as the "great Mujahid" and the "standard-bearer" of the Islamic Resistance.

(L-R) Ayatollah Ali Khameini, slain Hezbollah leader Nasrallah, and slain Quds Force commander Soleimani (credit: Canva, KHAMENEI.IR, REUTERS/MOHAMED AZAKIR)

He also called the late Hezbollah premier "a virtuous scholar of religion & a wise political leader."

According to Khameini, Nasrallah "ascended to the heavens" following his martyrdom.

"The dear Sayyid of the Resistance has received his reward for decades of jihad on the path of God and enduring hardships in a sacred struggle."

Referring to Hezbollah's allegiance with Hamas in Gaza, and the Palestinian cause, Khameini wrote "for tens of years he had planned, strategized, and fought for the oppressed people of Palestine & their occupied cities & villages."

All the Resistance forces in the region stand with and support #Hezbollah.

— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) September 28, 2024

Nasrallah, Khameini tweeted, "wasn’t just one person, he was a path and a school of thought, and his path will continue."

He offered his condolences to the Nasrallah's family, as well as the members of Hezbollah, the Lebanese people, and other figures in the Islamic resistance.

Vowing revenge 

Khameini also vowed revenge against the "foul-natured Zionist regime."

"By the grace & power of God, Lebanon will make the transgressing, malicious enemy regret its actions," he added,

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani vowed in a post on X that Nasrallah's "path will be continued and his holy goal will be realized in the liberation of Jerusalem."

Brig.-Gen. Amichai Levine, the newly appointed commander of Hatzerim Airbase, revealed on Saturday that the mission to neutralize Hassan Nasrallah demanded unique, world-class capabilities from the Israel Air Force. The operation required extreme precision to strike a deep underground area while maintaining perfect deception, ensuring that Nasrallah, Ali Karaki, and other senior figures would not detect the attack and escape.

“The operation succeeded perfectly,” Levine said, praising the ground crews and technical teams for their seamless execution. Not only did they ensure the aircraft’s readiness, but they also managed the munitions, which performed flawlessly despite the complex mission conditions. “About a hundred munitions were used, with bombers dropping them every two seconds in perfect precision.”

He also commended the 69th Squadron, known as the “Hammers,” which operates F-15I Ra’am fighter jets and has been involved in notable operations in Lebanon and Syria. The squadron faced scrutiny before the war due to protests against the judicial overhaul, but for 11 months, the squadron’s pilots, both reservists and regulars, have been on continuous alert for missions across the Middle East, ready for future challenges.

When asked about the squadron’s involvement amid the protests over the judicial overhaul before October 7, Levine responded: “The 69th Squadron is a strategic squadron in the air force and has been for decades. It’s responsible for some of the air force’s most critical missions. The squadron’s fighters are diverse in age (up to 50) and profession.

“Half of them are reservists, and roughly half of the fighters who participated in this operation were reservists. No one in Israel should doubt their love for the country, their willingness to sacrifice their lives, and even put their lives on the line for both nearby and distant missions – I think this operation underscores that. For 11 months, they’ve been on alert, flying around the clock, and they’ll continue as long as the war goes on.”

People and members of the military inspect the site of an Israeli strike in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, September 20, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

The IDF's three goals

“We have three goals: returning the hostages, dismantling Hamas, and ensuring the safe return of northern residents to their homes. The base, squadron and the entire air force are operating powerfully despite the media focus,” Levine stated.

“The separation of the northern and southern fronts is critical to dismantling Hamas and creating the conditions necessary to bring back the hostages,” the brigadier-general said. Yesterday, we executed a historic operation of immense strategic importance. Nasrallah is seen as the most central figure in the Shi’ite axis. This will significantly impact the Middle East and move us closer to achieving our war goals. The operation was long planned and reflects extraordinary collaboration with the Military Intelligence Directorate and the air force. I know all the intelligence officers who contribute incredible capabilities,” he said.

“What was missing before October 7 was initiative and aggressiveness. We still have unfinished business: We need to root out Hamas, and we haven’t brought the hostages home. There are still issues that require our attention,” Levine said.

He further acknowledged Brig.-Gen. Guy Davidson, the outgoing commander of Hatzerim Airbase: “Davidson deserves a lot of credit. Two weeks ago, I received a base that is a well-oiled war machine. But there are many people who deserve recognition for their recent performances: the air force orchestra has been playing in full glory in recent days and weeks. Davidson is certainly one of these key and valued individuals,” he said, adding that “Davidson was my flight instructor many years ago, and I owe him personal credit.”

“The challenge in elimination operations is precise intelligence,” Levine explained. “All agencies need to provide intelligence for every operation. The second challenge is ensuring that the target – Nasrallah, Karaki, and others – does not escape while the planes are en route or the munitions are on their way to the target.

“Each time, this is done creatively and through various methods, relying on ideas from young officers who are given the freedom to think and senior ranks who listen to them. They bring innovative solutions to deceive our enemies, ensuring the target remains stable during execution. Surface-to-air missiles in Lebanon still pose a threat, but we’ve also targeted them. We’ve hit dozens of infrastructure elements of various kinds, including weapons. Hezbollah’s capabilities have been reduced, and it remains a primary focus for the air force.”

Lt. Col. M., commander of the 69th Squadron, shared: “A wide range of crews flew the elimination mission in the Dahiyeh district of Beirut, from ages 23 to 50. This shows how the squadron operates – regular and reserve forces together. The mission was flawless, both in planning, execution, and outcome. Everything went smoothly. We launched a massive strike in the heart of Beirut. There was a sense of pride on a personal level: for the navigator, the crews, the officer whose cousin was killed, and the family.”

Israeli-Palestinian vlogger Nuseir Yassin, better known by his handle Nas Daily, posted on X/Twitter to share his feelings about the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Saturday night.

“Nasrallah was *my* terrorist,” the post stated.

Yassin explained that for those growing up in Israel, Nasrallah was the equivalent of Osama Bin Laden for Americans, each being a “terrorist on TV threatening to kill us.”

“Every few years, Nasrallah would target us with a barrage of rockets.” he wrote. “His rockets would be directed at nearby Jewish towns, but of course they miss and fall in Muslim towns in Israel. My town was one of them.”

“*My* terrorist is dead today. It's great news not just for me, but for many Syrians, Lebanese, Saudis, and...Israelis.”

SOCIAL MEDIA star Nas Daily speaks onstage at the ADL’s ‘Never Is Now’ conference on antisemitism on social media, in New York yesterday. (credit: ADL)

Yassin then talked of his ‘naively optimistic’ hope for the future.

“Terrorism way will always end up in failure. Always. Even if it takes 32 years to arrive.” he said.

ADL response

CEO of ADL Jonathan Greenblatt responded to the post commending Yassir on ‘getting it right, drawing from his lived experience.'

While so many mainstream media outlets inexplicably and irresponsibly lionize the terrorist leader Hasan Nasrallah (the @washingtonpost calling him a “moral compass” was my favorite), my friend @nasdaily gets it right, drawing on his lived experience. https://t.co/Udq8Dnqmn8

— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) September 29, 2024

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed it sent a UAV into Eilat, following sirens in the area in the early hours of Sunday morning.  

In its statement to the UN Security Council on Saturday night, Iran said it would not hesitate to defend its national and security interests, and warned against any attack on its diplomatic headquarters and representatives.

Iran also called for an emergency meeting to "address the Israeli terrorist aggression" and requested the Council to condemn the strikes on Lebanon as well, as reported by Al Jazeera.
 

The Jordanian army said in a statement a grad rocket from southern Lebanon fell this evening in an uninhabited desert area in Muwaqqar, adding no human or material damage occurred as a result.

The IAF is reportedly carrying out strikes in the Dahiyeh district of Beirut, according to Lebanese media on Saturday night.

Arab media also reported several strikes on the city of Tyre. 

Asked by reporters if an Israeli ground incursion into Lebanon was inevitable, US President Joe Biden said on Saturday that it was time for a ceasefire.

"It's time for a ceasefire," Biden told reporters in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

Asked if the United States would respond to missile attacks on US warships in the Red Sea, Biden said: "We're responding."