The Israeli army says Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an attack

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has confirmed the leader of the armed forces Terrorist organization HezbollahHassan Nasrallah was killed on Friday during an attack on the group’s headquarters in Lebanon.

“This is not the end of our toolbox. The message is simple: anyone who threatens the citizens of Israel – we will know how to reach them,” said IDF Chief of General Staff Ltf. Herzi Halevi said about the elimination of Nasrallah.

The IDF attacked the Iranian-backed terror organization’s headquarters in southern Beirut, revealing that they were targeting Nasrallah. A Hezbollah media relations official initially claimed that he was “fine and well”, but the Israelis confirmed his death early the next morning.

Hezbollah later confirmed the death of its terror chief. In a statement to Reuters, it said it would continue its fight against Israel “in support of Gaza and Palestine, and in defense of Lebanon and its steadfast and honorable people.”

At least two other people were killed and dozens were injured, the Lebanese Health Ministry said.

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Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah speaks via video link, as his supporters raise their hands, during the Shia holy day of Ashoura, in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, August 9, 2022. The leader of the militant Lebanese Hezbollah group has warned arch-enemy Israel over the maritime border dispute between the two countries. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

“The IDF announces that yesterday (Friday), September 27, 2024, Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the terrorist organization Hezbollah and one of its founders, was eliminated by the IDF, along with Ali Karki, the commander of Hezbollah’s Southern Front, and additional Hezbollah commanders,” the IDF said in a statement.

“Following accurate information from the IDF and the Israeli security apparatus, IAF fighter jets carried out a targeted attack on the central headquarters of the terrorist organization Hezbollah, which was located underground, embedded under a residential building in the Dahieh area of ​​Beirut, the statement said. “The attack was carried out while Hezbollah’s higher command structure was operating from its headquarters and promoting terrorist activities against the citizens of the State of Israel.”

The IDF said Nasrallah was responsible for the killings of many Israeli civilians and soldiers, as well as the planning and execution of thousands of terrorist activities around the world. The IDF said Nasrallah was Hezbollah’s central decision-maker and strategic leader.

IDF profile photo showing Hezbollah terror chief Hassan Nasrallah, who the IDF confirmed was killed in an attack on Friday. (IDF Spokespersons Unit)

On Friday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told reporters, “The United States was not involved in the Israeli operation,” noting that there was “no advance warning” from the Israelis.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stopped his trip to New York after his speech to the United Nations General Assembly, where he warned Hezbollah about Israel’s right to go on the attack.

An IDF information card showing how it has decimated Hezbollah’s command structure in recent attacks. (IDF Spokespersons Unit)

“As long as Hezbollah chooses the path of war, Israel has no choice, and Israel has every right to remove this threat and return our citizens safely home, and that is exactly what we are doing,” he said.

After his speech, the prime minister’s office released a photo showing the Israeli leader at his New York hotel approving the operation against the terror chief.

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The IDF said it continues to attack Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure sites.

“As of last night, the IDF has struck more than 140 Hezbollah terrorist targets, including launch sites targeting Israeli civilians, buildings storing weapons, strategic weapons, weapons production facilities and additional terrorist infrastructure sites, some of which were embedded beneath residential buildings in Israel’s vicinity. Beirut,” the IDF said.

“The IDF continues to operate to degrade and dismantle Hezbollah’s terrorist infrastructure and capabilities,” it added.

Rich Goldberg, a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that Nasrallah’s death would prove a major victory for Israel because of its close ties to Tehran.

This photo shows the Israeli Air Force command on the night of the elimination of Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the terrorist organization Hezbollah. (IDF)

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“People don’t appreciate Nasrallah taking over from Soleimani as senior strategist for Khamenei,” Goldberg explains.

“Nasrallah had operational control over Lebanon and Syria: this is not just a strategic game-changer Hezbollah, Lebanon and Syria“It’s a strategic game-changer for Tehran,” Goldberg explained. “We have to assume that the IRGC is effectively in charge behind the scenes. Khamenei had clearly made a decision in recent weeks to prevent Israeli attacks from being carried out in Iran.”

“The calculus that led to that decision has not changed,” Goldberg added. “Should Khamenei decide he’s in luck tonight and order a direct strike, we must reconsider all our assumptions about what Israel is willing to do inside Iran.”

Reuters contributed to this report.