'Ghosts of Beirut': Showtime spy thriller series explores Hezbollah leader Imad Mughniyeh's death
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The Showtime original four-part spy thriller, ‘Ghosts of Beirut’ has premiered with its first episode on the network. Along with offering excellent streaming services and binge-worthy content that keeps its audience entertained, Showtime also regularly presents its viewers with shows based on long-forgotten true events. A new addition to its portfolio is the four-part espionage limited series, ‘Ghosts of Beirut,’ which is about the story of the Lebanese terrorist, Imad Mughniyeh, the mastermind of Hezbollah.
‘Ghosts of Beirut’ features the decades-long search for Imad Mughniyeh who managed to be undercover for several years from the CIA and Mossad. Mughniyeh is known to have been associated with numerous terrorist attacks and his techniques. The series also features real interviews of officials from the CIA and Mossad involved in the manhunt. Although Mughniyeh managed to escape from the agencies, his fate was decided as he was killed in a car bombing incident in Damascus, Syria. Even though the source of his assassination remains classified, there has been no dearth of speculations after his death.
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What is 'Ghosts of Beirut' all about? Plot of Showtime's spy drama explained
The end of Hezbollah figure Imad Mughniyeh
On February 12, 2008, Hezbollah’s international operations chief, Mughniyeh was killed after a parked vehicle exploded. He was in the Kafr Sousa neighborhood in Damascus, Syria as he was attending a reception. After leaving the venue, he walked to a parked SUV, and soon a bomb exploded which is said to have been planted in a spare tire on the back of the vehicle. The blast was so intense that it destroyed the car and killed him instantly.
While Israel officially denied having been a part of his assassination, he reportedly had been the target of Mossad for several years due to his alleged involvement in high-profile terrorist attacks against Israeli and Western targets. The circumstance surrounding his killing remains a subject of speculation and secrecy. As there was no official claim of responsibility, the suspicion fell on the Israeli intelligence service, Mossad. The operation to eliminate Mughniyeh was well-planned and executed with precision, as reported by The Washington Post. But concrete details of the mission remain undisclosed.
Implications of Imad Mughniyeh’s death
Being a revered figure of Hezbollah, Mughniyeh’s death had a significant impact on the Middle East. His assassination was a major blow to the organization, both symbolically and strategically. Even Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, revealed vows of retaliation against Israel and its allies. His killing heightened the tension in the region and escalated the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel in the following years. Mughniyeh’s death remains a subject of controversy and continues to impact the political dynamics of the Middle East.
‘Ghosts of Beirut’ Episode 1 is available to stream on Showtime.