Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has been killed after airstrikes in Beirut.
Recent weeks have seen Israel unleash a barrage of strikes against Lebanon after it turned its attention to the conflict at its northern border.
On Friday, Israel targeted the capital Beirut with a series of attacks striking the “headquarters” of Hezbollah.
People watch Hassan Nasrallah delivering a televised address in Beirut. Pic: Reuters
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said it carried out a “precise strike” on Hezbollah’s headquarters “under residential buildings in the heart of the Dahieh in Beirut”.
The first wave of attacks shook windows across the city and sent thick clouds of smoke billowing into the air.
Smoke rises from Israeli airstrikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Pic: AP
In the immediate aftermath, there were initially claims that Nasrallah had survived.
However, after several hours of confusion, his death was confirmed by Israel, and later by Hezbollah as well.
“Hassan Nasrallah will no longer be able to terrorise the world,” the IDF said.
A defiant Hezbollah confirmed Nasrallah’s death but vowed its fight with Israel would continue after confirming it had fired upon sites in northern Israel.
“The leadership of Hezbollah pledges to the highest, holiest, and most precious martyr in our path full of sacrifices and martyrs to continue its jihad in confronting the enemy, supporting Gaza and Palestine, and defending Lebanon and its steadfast and honourable people,” it said.
Recent days have seen Israel launch strikes in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and Bhamdoun
The Israeli strike that allegedly took Nasrallah’s life was on residential buildings in Dahieh, Beirut
Meanwhile, the IDF said it had killed a number of other commanders, including Ali Karaki, the commander of the southern front.
While Israel stressed it had been a “precise” strike, preliminary figures from Lebanon’s health ministry confirmed at least six other people were killed and 91 were wounded.
In the aftermath of the most recent attacks, an Israeli military spokesperson declined to comment on whether US-made Mark 84 heavy bombs were used in the strike against Nasrallah.
“The strike was conducted while Hezbollah’s senior chain of command were operating from the headquarters and advancing terrorist activities against the citizens of the State of Israel,” Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said in a media briefing.
He continued: “We hope this will change Hezbollah’s actions.”
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He added the number of civilian casualties was unclear but blamed Hezbollah for positioning itself in residential areas.
“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,” he said.
Meanwhile, Iran said it was in constant contact with Hezbollah and other allies to determine its “next step”, but Reuters reported the country’s supreme leader was transferred to a secure location in light of the latest attack.
Speaking after the attack, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called on Muslims “to stand by the people of Lebanon and the proud Hezbollah” and said: “The fate of this region will be determined by the forces of resistance, with Hezbollah at the forefront,” state media reported.
Nasrallah’s death will be a blow to Hezbollah as it continues to reel from a campaign of escalating Israeli attacks.
Flames rise after an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut on Saturday. Pic: AP
Nasrallah is latest Hezbollah leader to fall
While Nasrallah’s death is certainly the most high-profile of recent attacks, it continues a trend of Israel targeting Hezbollah’s leadership structure.
Also on Saturday, in the early hours of the morning, the commander of the group’s missile unit and his deputy were killed in another Israeli attack in southern Lebanon.
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Then, in a separate strike overnight on Friday, the IDF said it killed the head of Hamas’s network in southern Syria.
This followed the deaths of other senior commanders, including Muhammad Qabisi, earlier in the month.
