By Sagar Ram Rane 
Israel has just carried out a major airstrike on the Hezbollah headquarters in Beirut, targeting its leader Hassan Nasrallah. The operation took place at a time when tensions were rising on the border between Israel and Hezbollah, with rockets being fired from both sides. Israeli officials believe the airstrike has killed Nasrallah, but this has not been confirmed yet(The Times of Israel)(Al-Monitor).
Last year, the Israeli military proposed several times to kill Nasrallah, but only recently received approval from the security cabinet. The strike is part of the Northern Arrows campaign, which is being carried out to weaken Hezbollah’s military power. In the past few weeks the Israeli air force has targeted not only rocket sites but also Hezbollah’s command centers(The Times of Israel). After this, Hezbollah’s ability to launch major attacks has decreased significantly.
In response to the airstrike, Hezbollah’s news channel Al-Manar described it as “Zionist aggression”, while the Iranian embassy in Beirut called it a dangerous increase. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called an emergency meeting, indicating that the attack threatens to change regional power dynamics(Al-Monitor).
After the attack, four buildings collapsed in Beirut’s southern suburbs, killing at least four people and injuring about 100(Al-Monitor). Although international actors such as the US and France are demanding a ceasefire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue his military operations against Hezbollah.
The event marks a new phase in the conflict, with Israel deciding to target Hezbollah’s leadership, which could further escalate tensions with Iran.