International
Massive Crowds Gather for Funeral of Former Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah
- Thousands gathered to honor Hezbollah’s former leader Hassan Nasrallah and his successor Hashem Safieddine after their deaths in Israeli airstrikes.
- Israel conducted fresh airstrikes in southern Lebanon during the funeral, highlighting ongoing hostilities.
- The funeral served as a public display of resilience amid setbacks from Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon.
Tens of thousands of mourners gathered in Beirut for the funeral of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in September.
The funeral, held at the 50,000-capacity Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium on Sunday, also honoured Hashem Safieddine, Nasrallah’s designated successor, who was killed in a separate Israeli strike before assuming leadership.
Draped in Hezbollah’s yellow flag, the coffins of Nasrallah and Safieddine were carried through massive crowds of black-clad supporters, who waved flags, held up portraits, and chanted as excerpts from Nasrallah’s past speeches played over loudspeakers.
“Attending this funeral is the least we can do for a leader who sacrificed everything for the cause,” said 55-year-old Umm Mahdi, speaking to AFP.
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Nasrallah, who led Hezbollah for three decades, was a key figure in shaping the group’s political and military strategy. Under his leadership, Hezbollah—which is designated a terrorist organization by the US, UK, and other nations—expanded its influence across the Middle East. The group trained Hamas fighters, supported militias in Iraq and Yemen, and secured advanced weaponry from Iran to use against Israel.
Despite his influence, Nasrallah lived in seclusion for years, fearing assassination. His death at age 64 in Dahieh, a heavily guarded Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut, marked a significant blow to the organization. For the first time, Hezbollah allowed public access to the district for a memorial event following his killing.
As the funeral procession unfolded, Israeli warplanes flew over the stadium in a symbolic show of force. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz later stated on X: “Whoever threatens to destroy Israel—that will be the end of them.”
Nasrallah’s killing came amid months of intense hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, sparked by the ongoing war in Gaza. In 2024, Israel launched a large-scale military campaign in Lebanon, killing thousands, including high-ranking Hezbollah figures. The offensive displaced over 1.2 million people before a ceasefire was reached in November.
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The conflict saw Israel conduct targeted assassinations, including a September operation that used rigged Israeli-made walkie-talkies to kill dozens of senior Hezbollah members. Despite these losses, the mass funeral was seen as a display of Hezbollah’s resilience and continued presence in Lebanon.
Representatives from Iran, Iraq, and Yemen attended the funeral, underscoring Hezbollah’s deep regional ties. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi praised Nasrallah and Safieddine as “heroes of the resistance” in his address.
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