Israel killed Hizbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in a powerful airstrike in Beirut, dealing a heavy blow to the Iran-backed group as it reels from an escalating campaign of Israeli attacks.
The Israeli military said yesterday it had eliminated Nasrallah in the strike on the group’s central command headquarters in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Friday. Hizbollah confirmed he had been killed, without saying how.
Nasrallah’s death is a major blow to both Hizbollah and Iran, removing an influential ally who helped build Hizbollah into the linchpin of Tehran’s network of allied groups in the Arab world.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the killing of Nasrallah as a necessary step toward “changing the balance of power in the region for years to come.”
US President Joe Biden described Nasrallah’s death as a measure of justice for what he called his many victims, including thousands of Americans, Israelis and Lebanese, and said the US fully supported Israel’s right to self-defence.
But when asked if an Israeli ground incursion into Lebanon was inevitable, Biden told reporters: “It’s time for a ceasefire.”
A senior member of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, deputy commander Abbas Nilforoushan, was also killed in the Israeli attacks in Beirut on Friday, Iranian media reported.
Sources said that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been moved to a secure location in Iran following Nasrallah’s killing.
Israeli strikes in Lebanon killed 33 people and wounded 195 others yesterday, the Lebanese health ministry said.
The strikes continued on Beirut’s southern suburbs throughout the evening yesterday, sending large clouds of smoke over the city.
One Israeli strike hit an industrial area 500 metres from Beirut airport buildings, a security source said. The airport continued to operate normally, according to Middle East Airlines boss Mohammad Al Hout.
Israel said it killed a senior Hizbollah intelligence official in a strike on southern Beirut, naming him as Hassan Khalil Yassin. Hizbollah has made no mention of this.
In Israel, air raid sirens sounded across the centre of the country – including Tel Aviv – and large bangs were heard after a missile was fired from Yemen and intercepted, according to the Israeli military.
Hizbollah said in a statement that it would continue its battle against Israel “in support of Gaza and Palestine, and in defence of Lebanon and its steadfast and honourable people”.
Khamenei said Nasrallah’s death would be avenged and his path in fighting Israel would be pursued by other fighters.
Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said his country was facing the threat of danger, without mentioning the death of Nasrallah. His office later announced three days of mourning for the Hizbollah chief.
Hezbollah’s Al Manar TV aired verses from the Quran after Nasrallah’s death was announced. Bursts of gunfire were heard in Beirut and Lebanon’s army deployed tanks in the city centre.
Nasrallah’s death is by far the largest blow in a traumatic fortnight for Hezbollah, starting with a deadly strike on thousands of communications devices used by its members.
Days later, Israel significantly ramped up airstrikes in Lebanon, killing several top Hizbollah commanders and hundreds of other people across wide areas of the country.
Hizbollah gave no immediate indication of who might succeed Nasrallah. Senior Hizbollah official Hashem Safieddine has long been regarded as heir apparent. The group has not issued any statement on Safieddine’s status or that of any other Hizbollah leaders – apart from Nasrallah – since the attack.
Hizbollah continued its cross-border rocket fire yesterday, setting off sirens and sending residents running for shelter deep inside Israel. Israeli missile defences blocked some of them and there was no immediate report of injuries.
Russia said it strongly condemned Nasrallah’s killing and urged Israel to stop hostilities in Lebanon.
Kuwait called on its citizens to leave Lebanon immediately, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement yesterday.
Lebanon’s transport ministry asked an Iranian plane not to enter Lebanese airspace after Israel warned air traffic control at the Beirut airport that it would use “force” if it landed, a ministry source said.
The source said it was not clear what was on the plane, adding: “The priority is people”.
Late on Friday, Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said Israeli air force planes would not allow “hostile flights with weapons to land” there.
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