BEIRUT – Terrorist group Hezbollah has confirmed the death of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, after Israeli strikes on Beirut.
Nasrallah, who had not been seen in public for years because of fears of being assassinated by Israel, was one of the best known and most influential figures in the Middle East
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel “settled the score” with Nasrallah’s death, and it is a “historic turning point”.
US President Joe Biden said Nasrallah’s death is a “measure of justice for his many victims” – but Iran’s supreme leader declared five days of mourning and says his death “will not go unavenged”.
Israel and Hezbollah are continuing to launch strikes across the border, while the Houthis in Yemen say they fired a missile at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, which Israel intercepted.
At least 11 people were killed and 108 injured in strikes on Friday in Beirut, Lebanese officials said, and nearly 800 people have been killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon since Monday last week.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been moved to a secure location amid security concerns in the aftermath of a strike on Beirut that killed Hezbollah’s leader, Reuters reported.
Two regional officials told Reuters that Khamenei was re-located and that Tehran was in contact with Hezbollah to decide next steps after Hassan Nasrallah’s death.
Khanmenei vowed in a statement to avenge the death of the Hezbollah leader.
The Iran-backed Hezbollah described Nasrallah as a martyr and vowed to continue its fight against Israel.
A senior general in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps, Abbas Nilforoushan, was also killed in the strike, Iran state media said.
Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, said his country is in danger as three days of mourning were declared.
Israel launched more air strikes in southern Lebanon, saying on Saturday it had killed a Hezbollah intelligence official, Hassan Khalil Yassin, though the group has not confirmed this yet.
The European Union has advised airlines to suspend flights in Lebanese and Israeli airspace. (BBC)
