An Iranian informant reportedly provided key intelligence to Israel that led to the death of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Friday in a massive airstrike that targeted his bunker.

The informant tipped off Israeli forces to Nasrallah’s location hours before the attack, which took place at his highly secure underground headquarters in Dahiya, a southern suburb of Beirut. Paris A Lebanese security source was quoted as saying.

How did it happen?

The Israeli military deployed F-35 fighter jets equipped with bunker-buster bombs to a command center in Lebanese airspace to await Nasrallah’s arrival. He was attending an emergency meeting with other senior commanders, including a member of Iran’s Quds Force, who was killed in the first strike shortly after the funeral of a commander of Hezbollah’s drone unit.

Six two-ton bombs were dropped in the attack, creating a 30-meter-deep crater and destroying two neighboring buildings. The explosion was reportedly heard as far as downtown Beirut. The strike is considered one of the largest against Hezbollah since 2006 and is a significant blow to the organization, which has been largely silent since Nasrallah’s death.

Read more: Top Hezbollah leaders from Nasrallah to Nabil Kauk were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon

According to New York Times, Iran is now focusing on helping Hezbollah reorganize, including appointing a successor and rebuilding its command structure. Israel’s military claims it has eliminated eight of Hezbollah’s nine most senior military commanders this year, significantly weakening the group’s leadership. Recent attacks have included explosives hidden in Hezbollah communications equipment, injuring about 1,500 fighters.

A glorious succession is underway

The attacks have dealt Hezbollah a series of setbacks after nearly a year of cross-border firing, which has killed much of its leadership and exposed security holes. Israel’s defense minister is now discussing expanding the attack.

Israel’s heavy bombardment has raised fears that the conflict could spiral out of control, possibly involving Iran as well as the United States, Israel’s closest ally. A medical source and security sources told Reuters on Sunday that Nasrallah’s body had been recovered from the site of Friday’s strike. Hezbollah has not yet announced when his funeral will be held.

The fighting between Hezbollah and Israel, the latest round of their war in a four-decade conflict, parallels Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza after the Iranian-backed Palestinian group attacked Israel on October 7. Started from

(with agency information)