Hezbollah Confirms Death Of Leader Hassan Nasrallah
- We’re not fighting Lebanese people – Israel
- Houthi Movement mourns Hassan Nasrallah
Hezbollah has issued an official statement confirming the death of its Secretary General, Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on the southern suburbs of Beirut on Friday, ending his 32-year tenure as the group’s leader.
The group said in a statement; “His eminence, the master of resistance, the righteous servant, has passed away to be with his lord who is pleased with him as a great martyr.
“The leadership of Hezbollah pledges to continue its jihad in confronting the enemy [Israel], supporting Gaza and Palestine, and defending Lebanon and its steadfast and honourable people.”
However, the statement did not mention who would succeed Nasrallah, or how the group would respond to the assassination of its long-time leader.
Hezbollah added it would continue its battle against Israel “in support of Gaza and Palestine, and in defence of Lebanon and its steadfast and honourable people”.
Israel’s Not Fighting Lebanese People – Defence Minister
Israel’s war is not with the Lebanese people, the country’s Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, has said after the Israeli military confirmed the killing of Hasan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s leader, in airstrikes on Beirut on Friday.
In a statement, Gallant said; “He (Nasrallah) was the murderer of thousands of Israelis and foreign citizens. He was an immediate threat to the lives of thousands of Israelis and other citizens.
“To the people of Lebanon, I say: Our war is not with you. It’s time for change.”
There have been reports that Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, is contemplating firing Gallant, and replacing him with Gideon Saar, a member of the opposition and the New Hope party leader.
Houthi Movement Mourns
The Houthi Movement in Yemen has mourned the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, its ally in an Iran-backed alliance opposing Israel.
“The resistance will not be broken, and the Jihadist spirit of the Mujahideen brothers in Lebanon and on all fronts of support will grow stronger and bigger,” the group said in a statement.
Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, also issued a similar statement earlier, mourning the death of Nasrallah (see post at 13.09).
Over the past year the Iran-aligned Houthis have launched repeated drone and missile strikes on ships in the crucial Red Sea shipping channels, saying they are doing it in a show of solidarity for Palestinians in Israel’s war on Gaza.
The group, which controls northern Yemen, also fired missiles and drones at Israel repeatedly, some of which targeted central Israel for the first time – With The Guardian report
