The Israeli military has announced that it has killed Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah in an airstrike on the group’s central headquarters in the southern suburbs of Beirut on Friday, September 27, 2024.
The announcement made today, Saturday, September 28, 2024, came after overnight speculation about the fate of Nasrallah.
“Hassan Nasrallah is dead,” military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani announced on X.
The Israeli military claimed that Ali Karki, the Commander of Hezbollah’s southern front, and additional Hezbollah commanders were also killed in the massive air strike in Beirut’s southern suburb of Dahiyeh on Friday.
“Following precise intelligence from the IDF and the Israeli security establishment, IAF [Israeli air force] fighter jets conducted a targeted strike on the central headquarters of the Hezbollah terrorist organisation which was located underground, embedded under a residential building in the Dahieh area of Beirut,” the statement said.
It added, “The strike was conducted while Hezbollah’s senior chain of command was operating from the headquarters and advancing terrorist activities against citizens of the state of Israel.”
The Israeli military said that it was on “high alert” and prepared for a wider escalation.
Shoshani said in a media briefing, “We’ve seen Hezbollah carry out attacks against us for a year. It’s safe to assume that they are going to continue carrying out their attacks against us or try to.”
According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, a total of six people were killed and 91 injured in the bombardment, which levelled six apartment buildings.
Israeli air attacks continued to hammer Beirut’s southern suburbs and other areas of Lebanon on Saturday.
Nasrallah, 64, has led the Iran-backed group for more than three decades, serving as a political and spiritual leader guiding Hezbollah to a place of prominence in Lebanon.
Among supporters, the Shia leader is lauded for standing up to Israel and defying the United States. To enemies, he is head of a terrorist organisation and a proxy for Iran in its tussle for influence in the Middle East.
Israel’s military, in its statement claiming Nasrallah’s killing, accused the leader of being responsible for the “the murder of many Israeli civilians and soldiers, and the planning and execution of thousands of terrorist activities.”
“Nasrallah was the central decision-maker and the strategic leader of the organization,” it added.
Israel Claims More Strikes Planned
The IDF’s chief of staff, Herzi Halevi, asserted that the elimination of Nasrallah was “not the end of our toolbox,” indicating that more strikes were planned.
“It should be very clear: there are further tools going forward. And the message is clear: anyone who threatens the citizens of Israel, we will know how to reach them, in the north, in the south, and also farther away,”
Herzi Halevi
He said that the strike targeting the Hezbollah leadership was the result of a long period of preparation.
He added that the strike “was carried out at the right time, in a very sharp manner, and we are now moving to preparing the next things.”
He ended his statement by saying that Israel’s military is prepared “along all our fronts.”
Israel’s opposition leader, Yair Lapid, congratulated the military for the strike which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says killed Hezbollah Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah.
“I congratulate the defense establishment, the IDF and the IAF (Israeli Air Force) for the elimination of the mass murderer Hassan Nasrallah.
“All our enemies should know that those who attack Israel – is marked for death. This is a significant achievement for Israel’s deterrence and security.”
Yair Lapid
Meanwhile, Hezbollah is yet to issue a statement on Nasrallah’s fate.
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