Front page of Haaretz today. They seem to have no doubt.

Hassan Nasrallah, Longtime Hezbollah Leader, Killed in Israeli Strike in Beirut

Hassan Nasrallah rose to leadership after Israel assassinated Abbas al-Musawi in 1992. He expanded Hezbollah's military and political power, cementing its role in Lebanon's internal affairs and its ongoing conflict with Israel

Yaniv Kubovich and Ofer Aderet

Sep 28, 2024 11:02 am IDT

Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary-General of Hezbollah and one of Israel's most formidable enemies, was killed on Friday in a massive Israeli airstrike on Beirut. Israel confirmed his death on Saturday morning.

IDF Chief of Staff Herzl Halevi vowed after the announcement that the killing of Nasrallah "is not the last tool in our toolbox. Israel's message is simple: we will get to anyone who threatens the citizens of Israel. In the north, in the south and in faraway places."

Nasrallah, 64, led Hezbollah for 32 years, since Israel assassinated his predecessor, Abbas al-Musawi, in 1992. His charismatic leadership and political savvy made him one of the most influential figures in Lebanon and the wider Middle East.

The Israeli strike on Hezbollah's headquarters in the southern suburbs of Beirut also killed the commander of the organization's southern front, Ali Karaki, as well as the commander of the Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon, Abbas Nilforushan.

According to estimates by Israeli defense officials, about 300 people were killed in the air force strike. Some of the victims were in nearby buildings. IDF Spokesman Daniel Hagari said that the facility that was targeted is located underneath residential buildings.

Born in Beirut in 1960 to a poor family, Nasrallah was the eldest of nine children. He showed a deep interest in Islam from a young age, devoting much of his time to religious studies. In 1975, his family fled Beirut due to the outbreak of the Lebanese Civil War. Nasrallah later joined Amal, a Shi'ite social movement allied with Iran and Syria, and at 16 traveled to Najaf, Iraq, to study at a religious seminary.

Nasrallah's political and military career began under the mentorship of Abbas al-Musawi during his studies in Najaf. After being expelled from Iraq in 1978, Nasrallah returned to Lebanon, where he fought for Amal and taught Islam in the Beqaa Valley.

When Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982, Nasrallah left Amal to join the newly formed Hezbollah, an extremist organization inspired by Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution. Hezbollah rapidly became a dominant force in Lebanon's fractured political landscape, engaging in frequent attacks against Israeli and Western targets in the country.

By the late 1980s, Nasrallah had risen through Hezbollah's ranks, eventually assuming the role of Secretary-General following Israel's assassination of al-Musawi in 1992. Under his leadership, Hezbollah grew both militarily and politically, expanding its activities into political, economic, and social arenas, and participating in Lebanon's general elections for the first time in 1992, where it won 12 parliamentary seats.

Nasrallah's leadership style was marked by populism, charisma, and fierce oratory against Israel and the United States. He became a symbol of resistance in Lebanon and across the Arab world, particularly after Hezbollah's role in forcing Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000. This victory solidified Hezbollah's reputation as a key player in the struggle against Israel, with Nasrallah heralding it as a historic achievement.

Hezbollah's conflict with Israel escalated in 2006 when the group abducted two Israeli soldiers, prompting the Second Lebanon War. Though Nasrallah suffered heavy personal and organizational losses, including the death of his son Hadi in 1997, he claimed victory in the war, portraying Hezbollah as a regional power capable of standing up to Israel. His speeches, broadcast from secret locations, often celebrated Hezbollah's military capabilities while decrying Israel's vulnerabilities.

Nasrallah's close ties with Iran were instrumental in Hezbollah's continued growth, but also brought criticism from within Lebanon. His support for Bashar al-Assad during the Syrian Civil War further deepened the divide between Hezbollah and its detractors. Nonetheless, Nasrallah remained a powerful and controversial figure until his final days, when he joined the 2023 war between Hamas and Israel, opening a northern front against Israeli forces.

Nasrallah leaves behind a legacy of militant resistance, political influence, and unyielding opposition to Israel's existence. His death marks the end of an era for Hezbollah, an organization that shaped the modern history of Lebanon and the Middle East under his leadership.






https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-09-28/ty-article/.premium/hassan-nasrallah-longtime-hezbollah-leader-killed-in-israeli-strike-in-beirut/00000192-3799-d2b7-a1bb-bfbd02c80000