Israel's strategic shift leads to assassination of Hezbollah leader

(MENAFN) Israel successfully assassinated Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah by revamping its intelligence-gathering methods, focusing on analyzing extensive data, according to the Financial Times. Nasrallah, a key target for the Israeli military for years, survived numerous assassination attempts, including during the 2006 Lebanon War.

In the wake of the Syrian conflict, Israeli intelligence significantly enhanced its efforts against Hezbollah, viewing the group as a well-structured "terror army." As Hezbollah expanded its recruitment to support its operations in Syria, it became more susceptible to Israeli infiltration.

The Syrian war provided Israel with a wealth of information, allowing for digital analysis of various data points, such as obituaries and details about fallen fighters, which helped expose Hezbollah commanders at public funerals. This shift led to a more relaxed approach within Hezbollah, as noted by Yezid Sayigh from the Carnegie Middle East Center, indicating that the group became less disciplined and more complacent amid its expansion.

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