Lebanon’s Hezbollah confirmed this Saturday (28) that its leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was killed and promised to continue the battle against Israel.
The death occurred during a massive Israeli airstrike on what it said was Hezbollah’s “central headquarters” south of Beirut on Friday (27).
Israel’s army chief, Herzi Halevi, said the attack was carried out “after a long period of preparation” and “at the right time, in a very forceful way.” Halevi also warned that this was not the end of Israel’s “toolbox” and that there are “more tools in the future.”
The IDF continued to attack Beirut buildings on Friday, claiming they were used by Hezbollah as command centers and weapons production and storage sites. At least six people were killed and 91 injured in Israel’s attacks on Beirut, the Lebanese Health Ministry said, adding that the casualty count was “not definitive.”
Nasrallah transformed Hezbollah into one of the most powerful paramilitary forces in the Middle East. Born the son of a grocer and his wife in Beirut in August 1960, he spent his early adolescence under the shadow of Lebanon’s civil war.
When Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982, in response to attacks by the Palestine Liberation Organization, Nasrallah gathered a group of fighters to resist the occupation – which would evolve into Hezbollah. The group was already recovering after explosions hit pagers and walkie-talkies owned by Hezbollah members.
Iran’s response: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei sent a message of reassurance to Hezbollah, saying that “all regional resistance forces” stand with the group. In his first message since the Israeli military claimed Nasrallah’s assassination, Khamenei said Israel was “too small to cause significant harm” to the Lebanese group. The fate of the region, he said, “will be determined by the resistance forces, at the head of which stands a victorious Hezbollah.”
Israel continued to attack Lebanon this Saturday (28), with Beirut again as the target. Israeli airstrikes hit several locations in eastern and southern Lebanon, the Lebanese National News Agency (NNA) reported. The areas hit include the cities of Baalbek in the east and Nabatiyeh in the south, the NNA said, adding that an unspecified number of people were killed in the attacks.
In a statement Saturday morning, the Israeli military said it had conducted “extensive strikes” over the past two hours in the Beqaa area and southern Lebanon, claiming they were targeting Hezbollah launchers, weapons storage facilities and infrastructure sites.
Understand the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah
Israel has launched a series of airstrikes on areas of Lebanon in recent days.
On Monday (23), the country had its deadliest day since the 2006 war, with more than 500 fatalities.
According to the Israeli military, the targets are members and military infrastructure of Hezbollah, one of the most powerful paramilitary forces in the Middle East and supported by Iran.
The offensive reached several points in Lebanon, including the country’s capital, Beirut. Thousands of people sought refuge in shelters and left cities in the south of the country.
Furthermore, a ground incursion has not been ruled out. Hezbollah and Israel began exchanging attacks after the start of the war in the Gaza Strip. The Lebanese group is an ally of Hamas, which invaded Israeli territory on October 7, 2023, killing hundreds of people and capturing hostages.
Due to the bombings, thousands of residents of northern Israel, where the border with Lebanon is located, had to be displaced. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised several times to return these citizens to their homes.
On September 17, Israel added the return of these residents as an official war objective.
At least two Brazilian teenagers died in the attacks. Itamaraty condemned the situation and called for an end to hostilities. The Brazilian government is also evaluating a possible rescue mission.
This content was originally published in Hezbollah confirms death of Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the group on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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