Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah Killed in Israeli Airstrike

On Saturday, the Israeli military announced the death of Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah and other leaders in an airstrike that targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut on Friday.

Israeli army spokesman Avichai Adrei said the army had eliminated Nasrallah, officials, Hezbollah’s southern front commander Ali Karki and other leaders.

He added, “Under specific intelligence guidance from intelligence authorities and security agencies, Air Force aircraft struck Hezbollah’s central headquarters, which is located underground under a residential building in the southern suburbs.”

He continued, “The operation was carried out at a time when Hezbollah’s leadership was present inside the headquarters.”

Israel’s Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi Responds

Israel’s Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said: “This is not an easy message for anyone to reach to the citizens of Israel.”

Hezbollah Confirms Nasrallah’s Death

Hezbollah confirmed in a statement on Saturday that its secretary-general was killed in an Israeli attack on the southern outskirts of Beirut on Friday.

Aftermath of the Attack

Israel launched airstrikes on Saturday in the southern suburbs of Beirut and other areas in Lebanon after a major attack on Hezbollah’s central command headquarters on Friday.

Witnesses told Reuters they heard several more airstrikes before dawn on Saturday and after sunrise. Columns of smoke were seen rising into the sky over southern suburbs controlled by Hezbollah.

Thousands of residents have fled the suburbs since Friday’s attacks and have gathered in squares, parks and sidewalks in central Beirut and areas overlooking the sea.

Nasrallah’s Legacy

Nasrallah has led Hezbollah for decades, overseeing its transformation into a military power with regional influence and becoming one of the most prominent Arab figures in support of Iran.

Nasrallah’s supporters praise him for standing up to Israel and challenging the United States. In the eyes of his opponents, he is the leader of a terrorist organization and one of the agents used by Iran’s Shiite regime in its struggle for influence in the Middle East.

Regional Impact

Its regional impact has been evident since the start of the war in Gaza nearly a year ago, as Hezbollah, backed by its ally Hamas, entered the battle line firing on Israel from southern Lebanon, followed by groups within the Yemeni and Iraqi “axis of resistance.”

Nasrallah’s Rise to Power

Nasrallah became Hezbollah’s secretary-general in 1992 when he was just thirty-five years old and became a well-known symbol of the group, which was once a mystical entity founded by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard in 1982 to fight Israeli occupation forces.

Israel killed his predecessor, Mr. Abbas al-Mousavi, in a helicopter attack. Nasrallah was the group’s leader when its fighters finally succeeded in ousting Israeli forces from southern Lebanon in 2000, ending an 18-year occupation.

Planned Attack

Halevi said the army had planned the attack on the southern suburbs “for a long time”.

He explained, “This attack was prepared for a long time, and executed with great precision at the right moment, and now we are moving forward with careful preparations for the next step.”

He continued, “I want to emphasize once again that we are fully prepared on all our fronts. All our forces must ensure full coordination and readiness, including coordination with other agencies.”