In a significant escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group confirmed that its leader and one of its founders, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Friday in Beirut. Hezbollah issued a statement on Saturday confirming that Nasrallah had “joined his fellow martyrs,” vowing to continue its “holy war” against Israel in support of the Palestinian cause.
Nasrallah, who led Hezbollah for over three decades, was a prominent and powerful figure in the Middle East. His death marks one of Israel’s most high-profile targeted killings in recent years. The Israeli military reported that its airstrike targeted a meeting of Hezbollah leadership at their headquarters in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut. The strike leveled six apartment buildings, killing six people and injuring 91, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
Among those killed was Ali Karki, the commander of Hezbollah’s Southern Front, and other senior commanders, according to the Israeli military. The strike also claimed the life of Iranian General Abbas Nilforushan, a key figure in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, sanctioned by the U.S. for his role in regional operations. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency confirmed Nilforushan’s death.
Escalation in the Middle East
The death of Nasrallah and the intensified strikes mark a dangerous turning point in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, which has simmered for almost a year. Hezbollah began firing rockets at northern Israel in early October 2023 in solidarity with Gaza, following Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel. Since then, the two sides have exchanged increasingly destructive strikes, displacing hundreds of thousands on both sides of the Lebanon-Israel border.
Israel’s Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, emphasized that Nasrallah’s assassination is not the final step in their military campaign. “This is not the end of our toolbox,” he stated, hinting that more strikes against Hezbollah are imminent. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant called it “the most important targeted strike since the founding of the State of Israel.”
As Hezbollah retaliated by launching projectiles across northern and central Israel, the Israeli military reported significant damage to buildings in the northern town of Safed. Air raid sirens blared across central Israel, including at Tel Aviv’s international airport, as tensions escalated following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s return from a shortened trip to the U.S.
Regional and Global Implications
Nasrallah’s assassination reverberated far beyond Lebanon. Hezbollah has long been backed by Iran, and the death of both Nasrallah and Iran’s General Nilforushan in the same strike is likely to provoke a response from Tehran. Iran, a key regional power, has been a staunch ally of Hezbollah and has provided substantial financial and military support to the group for years.
Analysts fear that Nasrallah’s death could embolden more radical factions within Hezbollah to escalate the conflict further. Orna Mizrahi, a senior researcher at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies, warned that Nasrallah, though a fierce adversary, was sometimes a “voice of reason” within Hezbollah. His death, she argued, could lead to increased aggression from less cautious leaders within the group.
The U.N. reported that the recent clashes have displaced over 200,000 Lebanese civilians, many of whom are now seeking refuge in overcrowded shelters in Beirut and surrounding areas. In Israel, around 60,000 people have been evacuated from their homes near the Lebanese border over the past year due to Hezbollah’s attacks.
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Hezbollah’s Response and Aftermath
Hezbollah quickly vowed to continue its fight against Israel, asserting that Nasrallah’s death would only strengthen their resolve. The group, which has fought several wars with Israel since the 1980s, enjoys substantial support among Lebanon’s Shiite population and is a significant political force within the country.
Hamas, another Palestinian militant group, issued a statement expressing solidarity with Hezbollah. “Assassinations will only increase the resistance in Lebanon and Palestine in determination and resolve,” Hamas said, as Nasrallah had often described Hezbollah’s rocket attacks on Israel as part of a broader campaign in support of the Palestinian struggle.
Following Nasrallah’s death, the streets of Beirut were filled with gunfire as supporters fired into the air to mourn their fallen leader. Airports were overwhelmed with travelers desperate to leave Lebanon, fearing further Israeli strikes and a potential broader conflict between Hezbollah and Israel.
Israel’s Continued Offensive
The Israeli military continued its offensive on Saturday with over 140 airstrikes on Hezbollah positions in southern Beirut and eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley. Among the targets was a storage facility for anti-ship missiles located underground beneath civilian buildings. Hezbollah responded by launching a barrage of projectiles deep into Israel-occupied West Bank and northern Israel.
The Israeli government has reaffirmed that it will not halt its military operations until Hezbollah’s attacks on its northern border cease. For Israel, eliminating Hezbollah’s capabilities and securing the return of displaced residents to their homes is a key war objective.
Overview
The death of Hassan Nasrallah represents a critical juncture in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, a conflict that has far-reaching consequences for both Lebanon and the broader Middle East. With tensions at an all-time high, the region faces an uncertain and potentially explosive future, with both sides bracing for further confrontations.
The international community is closely watching the developments, with fears that the conflict may spiral into a larger regional war involving Iran and other powers. As both Israel and Hezbollah prepare for the next phase of this deadly conflict, civilians on both sides of the border continue to suffer the consequences of a war that shows no sign of abating.
