Nasrallah Killed by U.S.-made Bunker-Buster Bombs, Hezbollah’s Security Breached by Iranian Mole

Three days after Israeli fighter jets killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, new details have emerged on the mechanics of the operation and the intelligence network that led to his demise.

The airstrike, conducted on the evening of September 27, utilized specialized weaponry and reportedly relied on critical insider information from within Hezbollah's own network—potentially provided by an Iranian mole.

The airstrike, codenamed "Operation New Order," used 85 U.S.-made BLU-109 bunker-buster bombs, each carrying a ton of explosives. Israeli air force officers have reportedly said that during the attack, about 100 munitions were used and that bombs were dropped “every two seconds”.

These bombs are designed specifically to penetrate reinforced structures before detonation, making them effective against underground bunkers like the one in Dahieh where Nasrallah was meeting other Hezbollah officials. Each bomb, weighing between 900 and 1,800 kilograms, can penetrate up to 30 meters of earth or 6 meters of concrete before exploding, releasing shockwaves capable of collapsing heavily fortified installations.

Bunker buster bombs like the BLU-109 are engineered to bypass standard fortifications, targeting structures that conventional bombs would be unable to reach. Such bombs are typically reserved for high-value military targets. The bombs used in this operation were likely fitted with penetrating fuses, designed to explode only after reaching deep within the bunker complex, maximizing damage to the underground facility.

Eight Israeli F-15I jets took off from Hatzerim air base, carrying multiple bombs specifically chosen for their ability to target Hezbollah's underground headquarters. According to Brigadier General Amichai Levine, the precision of the operation relied heavily on both the powerful munitions and the timely intelligence that ensured the target was locked in without escape. Video footage released by the Israel Defense Forces on Saturday showed the fighter jets taking off laden with these specialized munitions, a critical component of ensuring Nasrallah could not survive the strike.

One of the most startling aspects of the story involves how Israel came to know the precise whereabouts of Hassan Nasrallah, who was notorious for his extreme caution and rarely appeared in public. According to reports, including an unsubstantiated claim by the French newspaper Le Parisien, an Iranian informant allegedly provided key intelligence to Israel about Nasrallah’s movements. This informant, reportedly embedded within Hezbollah’s inner circle, tipped off Israeli intelligence about Nasrallah's visit to an underground complex in Dahieh—a rare face-to-face meeting among Hezbollah leaders.

The involvement of an Iranian mole would be particularly striking given that Iran has been Hezbollah's primary backer for decades. If true, this breach could indicate significant divisions within Iran's political or military establishment. Such a leak could also suggest that factions within Iran may be looking to distance themselves from Hezbollah, or it could indicate internal power struggles that have spilled over into Hezbollah's operations. This has led to speculation about possible purges within Hezbollah as leaders try to identify how such sensitive information reached Israel.

Military analyst Matthew Savill from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) told the Guardian that the operation's success likely required "years of intelligence gathering" and "a deep element of human sources to keep information current." Savill highlighted that Israel’s apparent focus on Hezbollah and Iran stands in sharp contrast to its intelligence gaps regarding Hamas last year.