LIVE UPDATES: Israeli-Lebanese Tensions Soar as Hezbollah Leader Nasrallah Killed in IDF Bombing
After the start of Israel’s military operation in Gaza in October 2023, tensions along the Israeli-Lebanese border escalated, with daily exchanges of fire between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Hezbollah fighters.
On Saturday, the IDF announced that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut, along with several other commanders.
Hezbollah later confirmed Nasrallah’s death, stating, “Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary-General of Hezbollah, has joined the martyrs, whom he led for more than thirty years.”
The airstrike, which targeted Hezbollah’s main headquarters in Beirut’s Dahiyeh neighborhood on Friday night, destroyed six residential buildings, according to Lebanese media. This follows a series of explosions on September 17 and 18 that killed 37 people and injured over 3,000, with Hezbollah and Lebanese authorities blaming Israel, although the latter has neither confirmed nor denied involvement.
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Israeli Army Reports Elimination of Hezbollah Intelligence Officer in New Strike on Beirut
Lavrov: Russia Believes Washington Was at Least Aware of Recent Israeli Strikes on Lebanon
UN Chief Urges Immediate End to Escalation in Beirut, Calls to Break Cycle of Violence
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is concerned by the “dramatic escalation” in Lebanon and calls for the cycle of violence to be stopped immediately, his office said.
“The Secretary-General is gravely concerned by the dramatic escalation of events in Beirut in the last 24 hours. This cycle of violence must stop now, and all sides must step back from the brink. The people of Lebanon, the people of Israel, as well as the wider region, cannot afford an all-out war,” Guterres’ spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said in a statement.
Guterres also called on the parties to the conflict to respect the relevant UN Security Council resolution and stop the hostilities immediately.
Top Israeli Diplomat Calls Killing of Nasrallah One of Israel’s ‘Most Justified Actions’
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on Saturday that the elimination of Lebanese movement Hezbollah leader Hassan Hasrallah was “one of the most justified counter-terrorism actions” that Israel had ever taken.
“The elimination of arch-terrorist Nasrallah is one of the most justified counter-terrorism actions Israel has ever taken. Nasrallah, who dedicated his life to the destruction of Israel and led over 30 years of terror activity against Israel, including in recent days, deserved to be taken down,” Katz wrote on X.
Israeli Strikes Kill Over 1,000, Injure Over 6,300 in Lebanon in 12 Days – Health Minister
More than 1,000 people have been killed and over 6,300 others injured in Lebanon in Israeli airstrikes over the past 12 days, Lebanon’s caretaker Health Minister Firas Abiad said on Saturday.
“As many as 1,030 people, including 56 women and 87 children, were killed from September 16-27, 2024. The total number of people injured during this period is 6,352,” Abiad said.
There 41 health and emergency workers among the killed, the minister added.
The number of people killed in the Friday attack, which resulted in the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, currently stands at 11 with 108 injured, Abiad also said.
Iran’s President: Nasrallah Killing Will ‘Strengthen Resistance’
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed condolences for the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
“The international community will not forget that the order for this terrorist attack came from New York, and the Americans cannot absolve themselves of complicity with the Zionist regime,” Pezeshkian said.
Russia Denounces Nasrallah Assassination, Holds Israel Responsible for Escalation
Moscow strongly condemns the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of the Lebanese Hezbollah movement, warning that it may have serious consequences for Lebanon and the entire Middle East.
Russia calls on Israel to cease fire, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
”We strongly condemn yet another political assassination committed by Israel,” the statement said. “This act of force is fraught with further dramatic consequences for Lebanon and the entire Middle East. Israel could not have been unaware of the danger but proceeded with this step – the killing of Lebanese citizens, which will almost inevitably provoke a new wave of violence.”
“Therefore, the full responsibility for the subsequent escalation lies with them,” it added.
The Foreign Ministry called on Israel to cease fire in light of Nasrallah’s assassination.
“We once again urgently call on Israel to immediately cease hostilities. This would stop the bloodshed and create conditions for a political-diplomatic settlement,” the statement argued. “In the current explosive situation, responsible members of the international community must do everything in their power to prevent the region from descending into a full-scale armed confrontation.”
Israeli Chief of Staff Approves New Strategy for Lebanon, Warns of “Challenging Days” Ahead
Israeli General Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said on Saturday he had approved the country’s further actions at the Lebanese front line, adding that the upcoming days would be “challenging.”
“I have just completed a situational assessment and approved plans in the Northern Command. Challenging days await us. The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] is at peak readiness, both in defense and offense, across all fronts, and is prepared for what comes next,” Halevi was quoted as saying by the IDF on Telegram.
Hezbollah Launches First Strike on Israel After Nasrallah’s Death Confirmed
Hezbollah announced its first attack on Israel following confirmation of the death of the movement’s leader, Nasrallah.
“In honor of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, in support of their brave and noble resistance, and in defense of Lebanon and its people, as well as in response to Israel’s barbaric invasion of cities, villages and civilian deaths, fighters of the Islamic Resistance Movement launched a rocket attack on the settlement of Katzrin in the Golan Heights on Saturday, September 28, 2024,” the statement read.
Commander of IRGC Quds Force in Lebanon Was Killed During Israeli Attack on Beirut – Report
The commander of the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Lebanon, Abbas Nilforooshan, was killed during an Israeli airstrike on Beirut, Iranian news agency Mehr reported.
Nilforooshan, who was also the IRGC’s deputy chief for operations, was reportedly killed alongside Nasrallah.
Iraq Declares Three Days of Mourning After Hassan Nasrallah’s Death in Israeli Strike
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani has ordered a three-day national mourning across Iraq in memory of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli strike, the Prime Minister’s office announced on Saturday.
Israel Tracked Nasrallah for Months Before Decisive Airstrike – Report
Israeli authorities had been aware of the location of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah for several months prior to the airstrike that killed him, according to a report by the New York Times, citing unnamed sources.
“Israeli leaders had been aware of Hassan Nasrallah’s whereabouts for months and decided to strike him this past week because they believed they had only a short window of opportunity before the Hezbollah leader would disappear to a different location,” the publication stated, quoting three unnamed Israeli military officials.
Gunfire Erupts in Beirut After Hezbollah Confirms Nasrallah’s Death
In various Shiite-majority areas of Beirut, gunfire was heard following the official confirmation of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s death, Sputnik correspondent reports.
Supporters of the movement began firing automatic rifles into the air after the news. This is a common way of honoring the deceased in Lebanon.
Television and radio stations close to the Shiite movement broadcast Quranic mourning prayers.
Meanwhile, plumes of smoke still rise from the bombed areas, and Israeli drones continue to patrol the skies. Radio and TV channels close to Hezbollah broadcast Quranic mourning prayers.
Who was Hassan Nasrallah, Late Hezbollah Leader?
Hassan Nasrallah is the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shia political and militant movement. He has led the group since 1992 after the assassination of his predecessor, Abbas al-Musawi. Nasrallah is a central figure in Lebanon and a key player in the Middle East conflict.
As the leader of Hezbollah, Nasrallah oversees both the political and military wings of the organization. His role involves making strategic decisions, guiding the group’s ideology, and managing its extensive social, political, and military operations, both in Lebanon and across the region. He also serves as a spokesperson and symbol of resistance against Israeli and Western influence.
Hamas Announces United Front With Hezbollah After Nasrallah’s Killing
Palestinian movement Hamas declared on Saturday a united front with Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah after the latter officially confirmed the death of its leader Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike on a southern suburb of Beirut.
“We, the Hamas movement, and in the face of this Zionist crime and massacre, must renew our absolute solidarity and stand together with our brothers from Hezbollah and the Islamic resistance in Lebanon, who are participating with our people and Operation Al-Aqsa Flood [a Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023] in defense of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and of the legitimate rights of our people and its aspiration for freedom, independence and self-determination,” Hamas said in a statement obtained by Sputnik.
Hamas mourns with the Islamic nations over the death of Nasrallah and expresses its support for the Palestinian people and their resistance in confronting the “Zionist enemy,” the statement added.
Over 80 Bombs Dropped in Israeli Strike Aimed at Hezbollah’s Nasrallah – Report
The Israeli Air Force dropped more than 80 bombs, each weighing a ton, in an attempt to kill Hezbollah Secretary General Nasrallah in an underground bunker in a Beirut suburb, according to the news portal Ynet.
Over 50 Airstrikes Hit Hezbollah Targets in Southern Beirut
The Israeli army has once again attacked the southern suburb of Beirut, Dahiyeh, after a brief lull. Reports indicate that three rockets struck the central part of the area.
After midnight on Saturday, more than 50 strikes were carried out on Dahiyeh over the course of about five hours. According to Israeli military claims, the targets of the bombings were Hezbollah’s weapon depots, as well as its weapons workshops and other military infrastructure.
