In a major development, Israeli forces claimed responsibility for the death of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in a strike on Beirut. The Israeli military said today that Nasrallah, 64, was killed during overnight air raids on Hezbollah strongholds. A source close to Hezbollah confirmed that communication with Nasrallah had been lost since Friday night.
Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani took to social media platform X to announce, "Hassan Nasrallah is dead." This follows a series of Israeli strikes that targeted Hezbollah sites in both southern and eastern Lebanon. The strikes came in response to heavy rocket fire launched by Hezbollah into northern Israel.
Several residential buildings were flattened as Israeli jets bombarded Hezbollah's positions in southern Beirut overnight. According to a statement from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), Nasrallah "will no longer be able to terrorize the world." Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi added, "Anyone who threatens the citizens of Israel – we will know how to reach them."
The strikes were part of a broader retaliation just hours after Hezbollah claimed responsibility for firing rockets into northern Israel. One of the targeted sites included the kibbutz Kabri, which was hit by Fadi-1 rockets. Hezbollah justified the attack as a defense against what they called Israeli "barbaric" aggression.
Nasrallah, a powerful figure in Lebanon, wielded significant influence among Shiite communities. He was considered key to Hezbollah's military operations, either in waging war or negotiating peace. His death could have significant political and military implications for the region.
Reports from Israel's Channel 12 also claimed that Nasrallah's daughter, Zainab, was killed in the airstrikes. However, there has been no official confirmation from Hezbollah or Lebanese media sources. In addition to Nasrallah, Ali Karake, a commander of Hezbollah's southern front, was also killed along with other high-ranking Hezbollah members.
Nasrallah has been a central figure in the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel for over three decades. In 2006, following Israel's invasion of Lebanon, Nasrallah was rumored to have been killed but later reemerged unharmed. During his time as Hezbollah's leader, Nasrallah was reportedly involved in planning and executing numerous terrorist attacks worldwide, resulting in the deaths of civilians and soldiers alike. According to Israeli sources, he was responsible for directing many of these operations.
As the conflict intensifies, air raid sirens rang out across northern Israel, warning residents of rockets being fired from Lebanon. Israeli military reports confirmed that two surface-to-surface missiles were launched, one of which was intercepted, while the other landed in an open area without causing damage.
Meanwhile, Lebanon's health ministry ordered the evacuation of hospitals in southern Beirut as tensions continue to rise. Hospitals in unaffected areas were asked to stop admitting non-emergency cases to prepare for potential casualties being moved from the conflict zones.
The ongoing Israeli bombing campaign in Lebanon has resulted in the deaths of more than 700 people, with over 118,000 displaced from their homes.
