President Isaac Herzog awarded the Israel Defense Prize to Mossad on Tuesday for its role in the operation that killed former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut last year.
At the ceremony at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, a Mossad recruitment and operations officer, identified only as “G.,” spoke on behalf of the agency and disclosed new details of the operation.
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President Herzog awarded Mossad the Israel Defense Prize for its role in killing the Hezbollah leader
(Photo: Defense Ministry)
“This operation was born when an ambitious technological idea, almost a fantasy, met the best technical minds,” G. said. “Thanks to collaboration between the IDF, Mossad, the Defense R&D Directorate, defense industries, and academia, this fantasy became a far-reaching reality. Yet groundbreaking technology alone is not enough. Precise intelligence and daring operational capability—sometimes risking lives in the heart of an enemy state—are required to turn the impossible into possible.”
G. revealed that Mossad agents acted “with courage and determination under fire in central Beirut to deliver precise intelligence for the operation.” He noted that September 27 marked a historic turning point, concluding ten days of intense combat that began with the “Pillars” operation, shattering the terrorist organization’s morale and severely damaging its military capabilities.
“The award-winning operations this year highlight, as always, the added value of joint efforts among different security bodies,” G. added. “Integration is not just an idea but a living reality through which wars are won. While we celebrate past achievements, brilliant and creative minds continue working behind the scenes, preparing the groundbreaking operations of tomorrow to ensure Israel’s long-term security.”
After the ceremony, Mossad chief David Barnea congratulated the agency’s personnel, emphasizing the symbolic importance of this year’s prize as it reflects the strength of Israel’s security apparatus in defeating Hezbollah, from last year’s “Pillars” operation to this year’s Nasrallah operation.
In a statement, Mossad said Barnea highlighted the agency’s three guiding principles: courage, technological innovation, and ingenuity. He added that the combination of operational capability, advanced technology, and precise intelligence allows visions to become reality, with deep collaboration with the IDF as the key to every success.
Nasrallah was killed in the Dahieh district, Hezbollah’s stronghold in Beirut, on September 27 last year. The operation involved dropping more than 80 one-ton bombs on the bunker where he was located. According to the IDF, fighter jets, guided by precise intelligence from the Military Intelligence Directorate and the national security system, struck Hezbollah’s central command beneath a residential building in Dahieh while its leadership coordinated terrorist activities against Israeli civilians.