Hezbollah confirms death of leader Hassan Nasrallah; Israel on high alert

This comes after Israel military claimed on Saturday that it killed the militant group's chief

Web Desk

Published: Sat 28 Sep 2024, 12:15 PM

Last updated: Sat 28 Sep 2024, 5:05 PM

Hezbollah has confirmed the death of its leader Hassan Nasrallah. The group said in a statement it would continue its battle against Israel "in support of Gaza and Palestine, and in defence of Lebanon and its steadfast and honourable people".

This comes after Israel military claimed on Saturday that it killed the militant group's chief as strikes continue on the southern suburbs of Beirut.

In a post on X, the Israeli Defence Forces said: "Hassan Nasrallah will no longer be able to terrorize the world."

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"Hassan Nasrallah is dead," military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani announced on X. Military spokesman Captain David Avraham also confirmed that the Hezbollah chief had been "eliminated" following strikes Friday on the Lebanese capital.

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A source close to Lebanon's Hezbollah group said contact with Nasrallah had been lost since Friday evening.

"Contact with Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has been lost since Friday evening," said the source, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. He did not confirm whether Nasrallah had been killed.

Hamas condemns killing as 'cowardly terrorist act'

Hamas on Saturday condemned the killing of Nasrallah after the Lebanon-based group confirmed his death in an Israeli strike on south Beirut a day earlier.

"We condemn in the strongest terms this barbaric Zionist aggression and targeting of residential buildings... and we consider it a cowardly terrorist act," the group said in a statement, offering "condolences, and solidarity with the brothers in Hezbollah and the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon on the martyrdom of... Nasrallah".

IRGC deputy commander killed in Israeli strikes on Beirut

Iran Revolutionary Guards' deputy commander Abbas Nilforoushan was killed in the Israeli strikes on Beirut on Friday, Iranian media reported on Saturday.

Iraq announces three-day mourning

Iraq announced a three-day mourning over the death of Nasrallah, according to the Prime Minister's office.

Israel on high alert

Soon after the announcement of Nasrallah's killing, a military spokesperson said Israel is on high alert for a broader conflict, as strikes continued on the Lebanese capital.

"We hope this will change Hezbollah's actions," Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said in a media briefing after the military confirmed it had killed Nasrallah.

But he said there was still a way to go in degrading Hezbollah's capabilities.

Following the reports of Nasrallah killing, Iran said it is in constant contact with Hezbollah and regional allies to determine the "next step".

Hezbollah said that it had targeted Israeli sites including Rosh Pina in the north with missiles in response to Israeli attacks on Lebanese cities, villages and civilians.

Meanwhile, Israeli jets bombarded the southern suburbs of Beirut Saturday, sending panicked families fleeing.

Israel said it was attacking the militant group's headquarters and weapons facilities in Beirut, and Israeli and US media reported Nasrallah was the target of strikes Friday night.

The blasts that rocked southern Beirut Friday were the fiercest to hit the group's stronghold since Israel and Hezbollah last went to war in 2006.

(with inputs from Reuters, AFP)

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