Israel attempted to kill Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah after the IDF received intelligence that he had convened a meeting with Hezbollah leaders at an underground facility south of Beirut, the New York Times reported, citing five Israeli officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The officials told the Times that Israel knew about the underground facilities under four residential buildings south of Beirut.
The government ordered strikes based on real-time information that Nasrallah was there.
Based on the intelligence as well as the massive quantity of ammunition fired at the buildings, Israel believed him to be dead, and later confirmed his death Saturday morning.
Strike coordinated based on additional factors
Three officials said the strikes were coordinated based on factors other than intelligence, including political and strategic factors. Israel has had intelligence on Nasrallah’s location and passed over previous opportunities to eliminate him.
An Israeli official confirmed to The Jerusalem Post that the Hezbollah leader had been one of the targets of the attack and also told the Post that it would be hard to believe he "got out alive."