"They thought they were in a safe place": Behind the daring assassination operations

An N12 magazine article provides a glimpse into the work of the IDF's Operations Branch, responsible for coordinating and executing complex assassination operations, including the elimination of Hassan Nasrallah. Lt. Col. D., head of the branch, describes the process of receiving real-time intelligence, building a rapid response, and deploying forces for the operation. The article covers Operation "New Order" and the pager explosion operation, highlighting the cooperation between the Intelligence Directorate, the Air Force, the Shin Bet, and other bodies.

An N12 magazine article offers a rare glimpse into the work of the IDF's Operations Branch, the body responsible for coordinating and executing Israel's most daring assassination operations in recent years. At the center of the article is Lt. Col. D., head of the branch, who describes how the elimination of Hassan Nasrallah in a bunker in the Dahieh district of Beirut was coordinated and carried out. According to him, once the operational conditions matured, the IDF launched a widespread attack with dozens of munitions, culminating in the dropping of 83 tons of bombs. Alongside Nasrallah, senior Hezbollah official Ali Karaki and an Iranian general were eliminated. The article also covers the pager explosion operation on September 17-18, 2024, which was defined as the opening blow that paved the way for Nasrallah's elimination. The interviewees describe the close cooperation between the Intelligence Directorate, the Air Force, the Shin Bet, and the police, as well as the constant readiness for emerging events. Lt. Col. D. states that surveillance of senior terrorist organization figures continues at all times, and that "the long arm of the security establishment will know how to reach each and every one of them, in Israel or abroad."