A year after the assassination of Hezbollah's Nasrallah, Lebanon still reels from the shockwave

Report by Lara El Hachem, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi  

A year has passed since the assassination of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, shattering the hopes of those who once believed he might have survived. 

Today, only his image remains—plastered across the buildings of Beirut's southern suburb of Haret Hreik, where supporters continue to honor the man they considered "the most honorable."

Israel, long determined to eliminate Nasrallah, seized what it deemed the perfect opportunity to strike the most devastating blow against Hezbollah. 

After years of systematically targeting the group's senior leadership, Israeli forces sought a zero-margin operation, firing missiles within a one-kilometer radius to prevent any possible escape through the area's underground tunnels. The assault leveled four buildings and heavily damaged seven others, killing Nasrallah along with 24 members of his operations team and 25 civilians.

Nasrallah's death marked the end of a 33-year leadership as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once described him as "the axis of the axis," a reference to his pivotal role in the regional alliance spanning Iran, Syria, and allied groups. Israel framed the operation as part of its effort to establish a "new order" in the region.

While Lebanese authorities have not produced a clear security account or detained any suspected collaborators, Israeli intelligence sources detailed a complex Mossad-led mission. 

According to these accounts, agents received intelligence of a September 27 meeting between Nasrallah and an Iranian Revolutionary Guard adviser in a heavily guarded underground hideout known only to a small inner circle.

The plan unfolded under the cover of simultaneous Israeli bombardment to divert attention. 

Mossad operatives allegedly infiltrated the dense alleys of the southern suburbs, planting guidance devices to ensure precision strikes even in shifting conditions. After securing their positions, the operatives withdrew, leaving only the final strike to be executed.

At exactly 6:20 p.m., more than 80 tons of explosives rained down on the target, killing Nasrallah. 

Netanyahu monitored the operation from New York, while U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was reportedly informed only 15 minutes before the strike, prompting anger in Washington over fears of a wider regional conflict.

No such war followed, but the political and psychological impact was seismic. 

Nasrallah's assassination not only shook Hezbollah's internal structure but also reverberated across the Middle East, influencing dynamics from the future of Syria's government to the balance of power involving Iran.