Report: Hezbollah still has not fully replaced Nasrallah

Two years following Israel's assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut, the organization he led for decades continues to grapple with rebuilding its command structure, military prowess, and strategic influence. On September 27, 2024, Nasrallah made his final decision to descend into an underground facility in Beirut's Dahiyeh neighborhood.

Israeli forces targeted him with 83 bombs, according to Colonel S., who oversaw the IDF's target bank within the Air Force's Nahalat Binyamin unit. Following his demise, Hashem Safieddine, who was intended to succeed Nasrallah, also fell victim to a similar barrage of airstrikes.

However, the process of disintegration commenced earlier. Two years later, Hezbollah is still grappling to rebuild itself. To comprehend why, one must revisit the months in which Israel dismantled the system that supported Nasrallah. As detailed in a thorough investigation by Asharq Al-Awsat, Israeli strikes gradually isolated Nasrallah prior to his targeted elimination.

Clergy members have described the impact of these assassinations: "Every time Israel assassinated a field commander, Nasrallah lost an eye that helped him see clearly." Crucial information, including weapons depots, local connections, operational methods, movement routes, and long-established relationships, vanished with each commander's demise.

Consequently, the compartmentalization that once served as Hezbollah's primary defense became a liability during the conflict.

Despite the mounting losses, Nasrallah retained faith in the organization's deterrent capabilities. Lebanese journalist Ali al-Amin reported that he believed Hezbollah's deterrent power was sufficient to deter Israel from launching a large-scale war. Even when his commanders urged him to engage in all-out war, Nasrallah opted for defense.

However, this defensive perimeter began to encroach upon him. As early as January 2024, Nasrallah began to suspect that Israeli penetration was deeper than he had imagined, following the assassination of Saleh al-Arouri and later Tawil. Subsequently, he grew silent. Hezbollah began scrutinizing its communication networks and sought to identify the breach.

The cumulative effects of these assassinations profoundly affected Nasrallah. According to one of his close associates, Wafiq Safa, his demeanor changed significantly. Safa noted that Nasrallah began to show signs of distress, nearly stopping his daily meals and consuming water exclusively for roughly 24 hours. He described this period as the "end of the world" for the leader.

Safa emphasized that Nasrallah had ceased to be the same Hassan Nasrallah. Following the Second Lebanon War, an almost mythical image of him had formed in Israel – one of a man living underground in constant fear. However, Colonel S. revealed that the reality was far more nuanced. While Nasrallah was known to reside underground conceptually, he often stayed in a penthouse on the eighth floor of a residential building in Dahiyeh, where he could quickly access a secure area via a special elevator. For those planning his assassination, this distinction held little significance.