The full but composed room, the severe and concentrated faces, the intense exchanges between military leaders: Israel he chooses a few seconds of video to tell the turning point, the one in which the operation takes place ‘New Order’ to eliminate the boss of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah. With images that bring that to mind ‘Situation Room’ in which the then president of the United States Barack Obama followed with his team and the military theOperation Neptune Spearwhich led to the killing of the leader of al-Qaeda Osama bin Laden in 2011.
In the video – released byIdf and censored in some parts so as not to show military secrets – tension fills the room Israeli Air Force Command Centerwhen the time to attack approaches. The operation is at the helm – which according to analysts required “incredible preparation” with the involvement of theintelligence – there is the Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi. Next to him, the Defense Minister Yoav Gallantin his usual black shirt, and the Air Force chief Tomer Bar.
At the same time, on the other side of the world, it is Benjamin Netanyahu to give the OK to the raid on Beirut: the image of the Israeli prime minister sitting at the desk, al ‘red telephone’ from New York to give the bombing a green light, it immediately became a symbol of the deadly blow struck against the Lebanese Shiite group, the point of maximum tension after days of military escalation between the two sides.
An approval arrived Thursday evening – rebuilds Channel 12 – after the attack option was put on the table since Wednesday, following discussions involving the heads of Mossad, Shin Bet and Minister Gallant. But the prime minister did not approve the operation before leaving for the USA, where on Thursday he held further telephone consultations until convening, in the evening, the toilet to obtain formal authorization to proceed.
Friday morning – Channel 12 rebuilds again – Gallant he went to northern border and defined various details with the head of the Northern Command of theIdf. In the afternoon, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi he met Gallant and told him, “We have what we need. We can proceed with the operation. We know that Nasrallah He’s in the bunker.” So Israel acted, launching a raid on the Lebanese capital while Netanyahu was carrying out a campaign press briefing in NY. Informed of the attack by his military advisor, the prime minister hastily left the press conference, and then announced his early return to Israel.
With them United States who in the meantime have poorly digested – the media still report – the news of the bombing, feeling “cheated” after having committed themselves to Israel for a possible ceasefire with Hezbollah.
The air raid, conducted by Israeli fighter jetstargeted Hezbollah’s central headquarters: 80 bombs dropped, weighing one ton each, to reach the depths of the bunker where they were Nasrallah and other leaders of the Party of God. Gathered – according to the IDF – underground to “coordinate terrorist activities against citizens of the State of Israel”.
The 69 Squadron of theIafknown as ‘The hammers’led the attack with his planes F-15iconsidered the main bombers of theIsraeli army. In their in-flight communications, there is all the satisfaction for an operation that will radically change the war: «I think we have given a demonstration of victory here. We really hope to have decapitated this terrorist organisation, well done, we are very proud”, he says in the audio released byIdf The Commander Tomer Bar addressing the jet squadron leader.
«Thank you very much commander», the pilot’s response before reiterating what is now a mantra of the Israeli military leadership: «We will reach anyone, anywhere. And we will do whatever it takes to bring them hostages at home and bring residents back north.”