Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah Killed by Israel: Impact on West Asia Conflict

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in News?
• What is Hezbollah?
• Why are Israel and Hezbollah fighting?
• Key takeaways from Israel’s attack on Hezbollah chief

Why in News?

• The Israel Defense Forces killed Hassan Nasrallah, the longtime leader of Hezbollah — the Iran-backed armed group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon.
• Nasrallah remained in charge of Hezbollah for more than 32 years. He played a key role in building the group into the potent force it is today and was one of the most influential and best-known figures in the Middle East.

What is Hezbollah?

• Hezbollah was formed in 1982 as a Shia resistance group with support from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) following Israel’s invasion of Lebanon. 
  • Israel aimed to expel the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) from Lebanon and succeeded in relocating the PLO to Tunisia and establishing a buffer zone in southern Lebanon. 
  • However, the invasion spurred the rise of Hezbollah, which became a long-term security threat to Israel.
• Historically marginalized in Lebanon, the Shia community reorganized under Hezbollah, which now operates as a powerful political, military, and social force. 
• The group has a political party with parliamentarians, provides social services to poorer sections, and commands a strong military unit backed by Iran, with fighters and a range of missiles.

Why are Israel and Hezbollah fighting?

• Hezbollah’s core purpose is resistance against Israel, with the destruction of Israel stated in its manifesto.
• Regarded as a terrorist organization by Israel and the U.S., Hezbollah is credited for forcing Israel to end its occupation of southern Lebanon in 2000. 
• The last full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah occurred in 2006 after a Hezbollah cross-border raid led to an Israeli invasion of Lebanon.
• The latest conflict flared after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. 
  • In response to Israel’s retaliation on Gaza, Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel in solidarity with the Palestinians, prompting Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon. 
• This ongoing border conflict has displaced 70,000 Israelis, with tensions escalating after Israel killed Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in a Beirut airstrike, leading to intensified rocket attacks from Hezbollah.

Key takeaways from Israel’s attack on Hezbollah chief

• A seismic episode
  • Hassan Nasrallah, 64, was Hezbollah’s leader for over three decades, and his assassination by Israeli forces is seen as a pivotal event, likened to the killing of Osama bin Laden by U.S. Navy SEALs. 
  • Nasrallah became Hezbollah’s leader in 1992 after the assassination of Abbas al-Musawi by Israel. 
  • Under his leadership, Hezbollah forced Israel to withdraw from Lebanon after wars in 2000 and 2006.
  • Nasrallah's Hezbollah harassed Israel after Hamas's October 7, 2023 attacks, leading to the evacuation of 63,000 Israelis. 
  • His death eliminates one of Israel’s most significant military threats.
• Half of Hezbollah's leadership council eliminated
  • Recently, targeted blasts by Israel killed or severely injured around 3,500 middle-to-senior Hezbollah leaders who used pagers and walkie-talkies for secure communication. 
    • These leaders, holding ranks equivalent to Colonel to General, were crucial for decision-making, organizing retaliatory strikes, and countering Israeli threats. 
  • The crippling of this leadership tier likely explains Hezbollah’s inability to launch counter-attacks following Israel’s aerial strikes in southern Lebanon and Beirut. 
  • This disruption in command and control weakened Hezbollah's decision-making and intelligence-sharing.
• A power moment for Israel
  • The Axis of Resistance is Iran’s term for the groups targeting Israel, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis in Yemen. 
  • Hezbollah, the strongest of this group, has launched over 8,000 rockets at northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights since Hamas's attacks last year. 
  • The assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah marks the peak of Israel’s campaign against the group's leadership, which began with the killing of Fuad Shukr in July. 
    • Israel has also eliminated Hamas's political head, Ismail Haniyeh, and the military commander behind the October 7 attacks, Mohammed Deif, leaving only Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar alive. 
  • Meanwhile, the Houthis are a smaller group with limited capabilities, mainly targeting international maritime traffic in the Red Sea.
• Significant moment for Lebanon as well
  • Hezbollah has long been the most powerful force in Lebanon, dominating both militarily and politically, with strongholds in Beirut and extensive military assets in rural areas. 
  • Its mass support, largely due to its charitable activities and propaganda, has significantly waned since 2019, when large-scale protests erupted against Lebanon’s corrupt establishment, of which Hezbollah is seen as a part. 
  • While Nasrallah’s killing sparked street protests by his mourners, it also offers Lebanon a chance to reduce Hezbollah’s grip on the country, potentially easing its influence over national affairs.
• Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and Iran to have a key role in coming days
  • It remains uncertain whether Nasrallah's killing will escalate the West Asian crisis or lead to a de-escalation. 
  • Countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar are closely monitoring developments, particularly Iran's potential response—whether it will retaliate and prolong the conflict or allow tensions to ease. 
  • Another key issue is the stalled hostage deal, with 101 hostages still held by Hamas, some feared dead. Their release could signal a possible end to the conflict.
• India wants early return of peace in the region
  • New Delhi, like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, seeks stability in West Asia to resume connectivity projects such as the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor and focus on regional prosperity. 
  • India's primary concerns are the safety of around 9 million Indians living in the West Asian and Gulf regions, as well as energy security, with two-thirds of its crude oil and natural gas coming from this area. 
  • A broader conflict would threaten both. 
  • New Delhi is closely monitoring Israel and Iran's next moves and has issued security advisories for Lebanon amid the ongoing tensions.

Q.1. What was the significance of Nasrallah's leadership in Hezbollah?
 

Nasrallah, Hezbollah's leader for over three decades, built the group into a major political and military force in Lebanon. His leadership helped expel Israeli forces from southern Lebanon in 2000 and resist Israeli strikes, making him one of the most influential figures in the region.

Q.2. How did Israel’s assassination of Nasrallah affect Hezbollah?
 

Nasrallah's assassination marks a pivotal moment for Hezbollah, weakening its leadership and disrupting its command structure. The killing could either escalate the West Asian conflict or lead to reduced tensions, depending on Iran's response and Hezbollah’s next steps.

Source: After Nasrallah’s killing: seven takeaways from Israel’s attack on Hezbollah chief

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