Hezbollah confirms death of leader Hassan Nasrallah

The Lebanese Hezbollah movement has officially confirmed the death of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

According to the statement, Nasrallah "joined his great and immortal comrades," having led the movement for nearly thirty years, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Hezbollah extended its condolences to the families of those who died alongside Nasrallah following a "treacherous Zionist raid" in the southern suburbs of Beirut.

The statement did not mention who would succeed Nasrallah, or how the group would respond to the assassination of its long-time leader.

Hezbollah added it would continue its battle against Israel “in support of Gaza and Palestine, and in defence of Lebanon and its steadfast and honourable people”.

The Israeli army (IDF) previously reported that Nasrallah was killed in a strike on Beirut, which also resulted in the deaths of Ali Karki, the commander of Hezbollah's southern front, and several other commanders. This attack took place on September 27, 2024.

The conflict in the Middle East escalated in October 2023 when thousands of rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel, prompting the Israeli Defense Forces to initiate Operation Iron Swords.

In September 2024, the conflict intensified further, with Israeli airstrikes targeting settlements in southern and eastern Lebanon. The IDF announced a pre-emptive offensive operation against Hezbollah military facilities, leading to large-scale strikes that delivered “serious blows” to the movement.

The Israeli General Staff has indicated preparations for a ground operation in southern Lebanon, stating that Hezbollah would be held accountable for its actions against Israel.

By Tamilla Hasanova