 "Who is Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, whom IDF killed in strike in Beirut?")
“Hassan Nasrallah will no longer be able to terrorize the world,” said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in a post on X, a day after it hit Hezbollah headquarters in Beirut. It’s a confirmation that the Hezbollah chief is dead.
Nasrallah was targeted while he was at the militant group headquarters in the southern suburbs of Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold known as the Dahiyeh.
The IDF said in a statement that alongside Nasrallah, other Hezbollah commanders were killed including Ali Karaki, the commander of the group’s so-called Southern Front.
Hassan Nasrallah will no longer be able to terrorize the world.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) September 28, 2024
Hezbollah only confirmed the death hours later.
A source close to the group said that contact had been “lost” last evening with Nasrallah after Israel said it had “eliminated” him in the strike, reports The Times of Israel. “Contact with Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has been lost since Friday evening,” said the source, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.
We look at the rise of Nasrallah and what his loss could mean for the militant group.
Who is Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah?
Hassan Nasrallah was born in 1960 in Beirut, Lebanon, into a poor Shiite family. His early interest in religion led him to study at Shiite seminaries in Najaf, Iraq, where he was influenced by prominent clerics like Sayyed Musa Sadr.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe Lebanese Civil War, which began in 1975, impacted Nasrallah’s life. He joined Amal, a Shiite militia, before shifting his allegiance to Hezbollah, a newly formed group committed to resisting Israeli occupation.
In 1992, after the assassination of Hezbollah’s then-leader Sayyad Abbas Musawi by Israeli forces, Nasrallah ascended to the leadership. Under his guidance, Hezbollah expanded its military capabilities and political influence, becoming the largest political party in Lebanon.
In the 2018 parliamentary elections, Hezbollah won over 340,000 preferential votes, the highest for any party since Lebanon’s independence.
How has Hezbollah changed under Nasrallah?
Hezbollah’s military strength under Nasrallah has grown considerably. In a 2021 speech, Nasrallah claimed that Hezbollah had 100,000 fighters, making it one of the most powerful non-state armed groups globally. This power is not only a result of its military might but also due to its strategic alliances within the region, particularly with Iran and Syria.
Hezbollah’s influence in the region is part of what is known as the “Axis of Resistance,” which includes Iran, the Syrian government, Palestinian groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the Houthi movement in Yemen, and several Iraqi militias. This coalition is united in its opposition to Israel and Western influence in the region.
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Hezbollah is widely regarded as a terrorist organisation by the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Canada, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and much of the Arab League.
The European Union designates its military wing as a terrorist organisation. However, countries like China and Russia maintain a neutral stance or engage with the group.
What has been Nasrallah’s stance on Israel?
Under Nasrallah’s leadership, Hezbollah has consistently engaged in conflict with Israel. The group’s guerrilla warfare tactics, including suicide bombings and rocket attacks, have made it one of the most formidable opponents Israel has faced.
The 2006 Lebanon War is a significant example of this, where Hezbollah’s resistance led to a 33-day conflict that resulted in heavy casualties on both sides.
In a speech during the conflict, Nasrallah famously said, “Watch it burn,” referring to the Israeli warship Hanit, which was hit by a Hezbollah missile. The war ended with a UN-brokered ceasefire, but it further enhanced Nasrallah’s reputation as a powerful leader in the Arab world.
Nasrallah’s leadership was also marked by his strategic use of Hezbollah’s military capabilities. In October 2021, he revealed that Hezbollah possessed 100,000 fighters, a testament to the group’s strength. This military might allowed Hezbollah to maintain a significant presence in Lebanon’s political landscape and to act as a deterrent against Israeli aggression.
Was Nasrallah involved in politics?
Nasrallah’s influence extends beyond military conflict. Under his leadership, Hezbollah has become a key player in Lebanese politics. Despite not being an official government entity, Hezbollah holds considerable sway in Lebanon’s political affairs.
The group’s participation in Lebanon’s parliamentary elections since 1992 has solidified its position as a major political force.
In the 2018 parliamentary elections, Hezbollah secured over 340,000 preferential votes, marking the highest number ever achieved by any political party in Lebanon since the country’s independence in 1943.
Hezbollah’s involvement in regional conflicts, particularly in Syria and Yemen, has also shaped its image. In Syria, Hezbollah’s support for President Bashar al-Assad during the civil war drew criticism, as it contrasted with the group’s resistance against Israeli occupation. Nasrallah justified the intervention by arguing that the fall of Assad would weaken Hezbollah’s position in the region.
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Nasrallah’s stance on Israel remained unwavering. He consistently called for the destruction of the Israeli state, aligning Hezbollah with other groups like Hamas that share this goal.
In a 2006 interview with The Washington Post, Nasrallah explained that the Israeli occupation of Lebanon and the broader Arab-Israeli conflict had taught him and his peers that “the only way that we have is to take up arms and fight the occupation forces.”
What happens to Hezbollah after Nasrallah?
The killing of Nasrallah would be a big blow to Hezbollah, the militant group he has led for 32 years.
Replacing Nasrallah would be an even bigger challenge now than at any point for years, after a series of recent Israeli attacks that have killed top Hezbollah commanders and raised questions over its internal security. “The whole landscape would change big time,” Mohanad Hage Ali, deputy research director of the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, told Reuters.
“He has been the glue that has held together an expanding organisation.”
Amid a sudden series of Israeli successes in its war against Hezbollah and an onslaught of air strikes, his death would greatly aggravate an already fraught moment for the group.
“Hezbollah will not collapse if Nasrallah is killed or incapacitated, but this will be a major blow to the group’s morale. It would also underline Israel’s security and military superiority and access,” said Lina Khatib, an associate fellow at the Chatham House Policy Institute in London.
With inputs from agencies
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