Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah killed in Israeli airstrikes on Beirut, Israeli army claims
- In Reports
- 04:12 PM, Sep 28, 2024
- Myind Staff
The Israeli military announced on Saturday that it had killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in a series of airstrikes on Beirut, Lebanon. The assassination has raised concerns of a possible full-scale war in an already tense region.
On Friday, Israeli fighter jets targeted residential buildings in the Dahiyeh area of southern Beirut, dropping around ten bunker-busting bombs. Footage shared by Middle East Eye showed thick smoke rising from the attack site. The Israeli army confirmed it was responsible for the strikes, initially stating that it had targeted Hezbollah’s command centre. Later reports from Israeli media indicated that Nasrallah, 64, was the intended target, though at the time, his death was not confirmed.
In response, Hezbollah fired rockets at northern Israel. However, on Saturday, the Israeli army posted on X (formerly Twitter), saying, "Hassan Nasrallah will no longer be able to terrorise the world." The army's Arabic spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, confirmed that Nasrallah, along with Ali Karki, Hezbollah's southern front commander, and several other leaders, had been killed in the strikes. He warned that anyone who threatens Israel, whether near or far, would be targeted.
According to the New York Times, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called an emergency meeting with his Supreme National Security Council in response to the attack, citing two Iranian officials.
Meanwhile, in New York, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed support for Israel’s right to defend itself. "Israel has the right to defend itself against terrorism," Blinken said. He added that the U.S. would take every necessary measure to protect its interests if they were targeted.
A senior commander of Iraq’s Sayyid al-Shuhada Brigades, Abu Alaa al-Walaei, warned that if war breaks out, his group would target U.S. and Israeli interests, including sites in the UAE.
In an attempt to reduce tensions, a U.S. Pentagon spokesperson clarified that the U.S. was not aware of the strikes in advance. U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin also communicated with his Israeli counterpart during the ongoing operation.
Nasrallah's death is seen as a significant loss for Hezbollah, as he had been the leader since 1992, after the previous head, Sayyed Abbas Mussawi, was killed in an Israeli strike. Nasrallah had overseen the group's transformation into a major political and military force in Lebanon and the wider Middle East.
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