In a sharp opinion column published in the Saudi English-language outlet Arab News, Ghassan Charbel, editor-in-chief of Asharq Al-Awsat, argues that the recent war exposed the full extent of Israel’s technological edge and deep intelligence penetration of Hezbollah, leading to the organization’s strategic defeat.
Charbel analyzes the implications of the assassination of Haitham Tabbatabai in Beirut’s Dahiyeh neighborhood, describing it as a decisive illustration of Israel’s intelligence reach inside Hezbollah’s senior ranks.
According to Charbel, Benjamin Netanyahu does not wait for threats to mature but moves to eliminate them early, arguing that Israeli actions are framed as responses to violations in Gaza and Lebanon, with the supreme priority being the removal of any source of danger.
He writes that Israeli officials believe the October 7, 2023 attack granted Israel legitimacy to fight “to the end” and shape the outcome decisively in its favor. Charbel adds that Israel has exploited favorable conditions under the Trump administration to push toward enforcing a state monopoly on weapons in Lebanon, directly challenging Hezbollah’s armed status.