Hezbollah confirms leader Hassan Nasrallah killed in Israeli airstrike

Hezbollah has confirmed the death of its long-time leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut. The announcement, made Saturday, marks a seismic shift for the Iran-backed militant group, which has been embroiled in escalating hostilities with Israel for over a year.

“Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary General of Hezbollah, has joined his great, immortal martyr comrades whom he led for about 30 years,” the group said in a statement, acknowledging the loss of its iconic leader.

The Israeli military had earlier claimed responsibility for the strike in Beirut’s southern suburbs, where Nasrallah was reportedly located. Nasrallah’s death is expected to intensify the already volatile situation in Lebanon, a country grappling with political instability and economic collapse. His leadership has been instrumental in shaping Hezbollah’s operations since the 1990s, positioning the group as a dominant force both within Lebanon and across the region.

The confirmation of Nasrallah’s death raises concerns about the future of Hezbollah and the broader regional implications. As Hezbollah’s leader, Nasrallah was a key figure in the group’s confrontations with Israel, and his loss could trigger further instability and retaliatory actions, potentially plunging Lebanon into deeper chaos.

As the region braces for the aftermath, Nasrallah’s death represents not only the end of an era for Hezbollah but also a potential flashpoint in the ongoing Israeli-Hezbollah conflict, with ramifications likely to reverberate throughout the Middle East.