Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah to flee Lebanon before his assassination in an Israeli strike. Nasrallah’s death has sparked fear in Tehran about Israeli infiltration of senior government ranks. Khamenei personally ordered retaliatory missile strikes against Israel.
The assassination of Nasrallah and a senior Revolutionary Guards commander has left Iran and Hezbollah in disarray. Iran’s Axis of Resistance alliance, founded with Hezbollah’s backing in the 1980s, faces challenges in leadership succession and military capacity loss.
The fear of Mossad infiltrations in both Iran and Hezbollah has grown significantly, leading to arrests and suspicions within the organizations. The loss of trust following recent killings has prompted a deep investigation within Iran’s ranks to root out possible infiltrators.
The current Israeli offensive against Hezbollah marks a significant escalation in tensions in the region. The loss of Nasrallah has left Hezbollah struggling to organize a proper funeral and appoint a successor amid fears of further Israeli attacks.