The Lebanese group Hezbollah has confirmed the loss of life of Hassan Nasrallah, its former chief, in an airstrike on the group’s underground headquarters close to the capital, Beirut.
Hours after Israel claimed to have killed Nasrallah, 64, Iran-backed Hezbollah stated Saturday that its chief “has joined his fellow martyrs” and vowed to “proceed the holy struggle towards the enemy and in assist to Palestine” amidst fears. {that a} regional struggle is now inevitable.
Israel carried out a significant assault in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Friday evening that it stated focused Hezbollah’s chief, bringing down at the least six residential buildings.
Nasrallah, who led Hezbollah for greater than three a long time, is by far essentially the most highly effective goal killed by Israel in weeks of intensifying preventing with Hezbollah. In line with the United Nations, greater than 50,000 individuals have fled Lebanon for Syria, as Israel’s assaults on Lebanon have killed at the least 700 individuals since Monday.
Israeli jets bombed southern Beirut and its outskirts in a single day Saturday, within the heaviest assaults on Hezbollah’s stronghold because the group and Israel final went to struggle in 2006.
Nasrallah had not often been seen in public since 2006. He was elected secretary common of Hezbollah in 1992, aged 32, after an Israeli helicopter gunship killed his predecessor, Abbas al-Musawi.
Hezbollah
The Lebanese group confirmed in an announcement that its chief had been killed “following the treacherous Zionist assault within the southern suburbs” of Beirut.
The group’s assertion stated Nasrallah had “joined his nice and immortal martyr comrades, whose path he led for nearly 30 years, throughout which he led them from victory to victory.”
The group stated it pledged “earlier than the best, holiest and most valuable martyr of our journey” to “proceed his jihad to confront the enemy, in assist of Gaza and Palestine, and in protection of Lebanon and its steadfast and honorable individuals.” ”.
Hamas
Hamas condemned the assassination of the Lebanese chief as a “cowardly terrorist act.”
“We condemn within the strongest phrases this barbaric Zionist aggression and its assaults on residential buildings,” the group stated in an announcement, accusing Israel of ignoring “all worldwide values, customs and statutes” and “blatantly threatening[ing] “worldwide safety and peace, within the face of silence, helplessness and worldwide abandonment.”
“Within the face of this Zionist crime and bloodbath, we renew our absolute solidarity and stand united with the brothers of Hezbollah and the Islamic resistance in Lebanon,” the group stated.
Fatah
The Palestinian Fatah motion additionally provided its condolences and condemned the killing, highlighting “the historic relationship between the Lebanese individuals and their resistance and Palestine.”
Iran
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued an announcement saying that Nasrallah’s assassination “will solely additional strengthen the resistance.” He added that the US can’t deny its complicity in Nasrallah’s assassination.
The nation’s Overseas Ministry spokesman, Nasser Kanaani, stated in a submit on X that “the fantastic path of the Resistance chief… will proceed and his sacred aim of liberating Jerusalem will probably be achieved.”
Iranian Vice President Mohammad Javad Zarif additionally expressed his condolences and praised Nasrallah as a “image of the combat towards oppression.”
Earlier, Iran’s Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned what he known as Israel’s “shortsighted” coverage within the area.
“The bloodbath of the defenseless individuals in Lebanon as soon as once more… demonstrated the silly and short-sighted coverage of the leaders of the usurper regime,” Khamenei stated in an announcement earlier than Hezbollah formally introduced the loss of life of its chief.
Iraq
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani condemned the assault as “shameful” and “a criminal offense that reveals that the Zionist entity has crossed all crimson strains.”
In an announcement, Sudani known as Nasrallah “a martyr within the path of the righteous” and declared a three-day interval of mourning.
It got here shortly after influential Iraqi Shiite Muslim chief Muqtada al-Sadr additionally introduced three days of mourning. The chief of the Sadrist motion in Iraq wrote in X: “Farewell to the companion on the trail of resistance and defiance.”
Turkey
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned Israel’s latest assaults in Lebanon as a part of what he known as an Israeli coverage of “genocide, occupation and invasion,” and urged the UN Safety Council and different our bodies to cease Israel.
In a submit on ”.
Yemen’s Houthis
Yemen’s Houthi rebels stated the killing of Nasrallah would strengthen their resolve to confront their Israeli enemies.
“The martyrdom of… Hassan Nasrallah will improve the flame of sacrifice, the warmth of enthusiasm, the power of resolve,” the rebels’ management council stated in an announcement, vowing to realize “victory and the demise of the Israeli enemy.” “.
France
The French Ministry for Europe and Overseas Affairs said in an announcement that it’s involved with the Lebanese authorities and France’s companions within the area to keep away from destabilization and conflagration.
Jean-Luc Melenchon, a left-wing French politician and former member of the European Parliament, stated the assassination “is yet one more step in direction of the invasion of Lebanon and generalized struggle.”
In a submit on X, he stated: “France now not counts on the bottom. Netanyahu’s crimes will proceed as they go unpunished. “The hazard is excessive for the area and the world.”
Russia
The Russian Overseas Ministry has issued an announcement strongly condemning Israel’s assassination of Nasrallah and calling on Israel to cease hostilities in Lebanon.
“This forceful motion is fraught with even larger dramatic penalties for Lebanon and the complete Center East,” the assertion stated.