A grand funeral for Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah took place in Beirut five months after his assassination by an Israeli airstrike. Over 50,000 mourners attended, including delegations from Iraq, Yemen, and Iran. The ceremony featured speeches and prayers, emphasizing Hezbollah’s resilience. Meanwhile, Israeli fighter jets flew overhead as a warning, amid ongoing tensions with reports of Israeli military actions in Lebanon. Hezbollah’s new leader vowed to continue Nasrallah’s legacy despite the challenges faced.
Five months after the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, a grand funeral ceremony took place in Beirut, accompanied by a low-flying display of Israeli fighter jets as a warning.
In the heart of Beirut, an immense crowd gathered to pay tribute to Hassan Nasrallah, the long-serving leader of Hezbollah. This memorial event, held five months posthumously, followed his death in an Israeli airstrike in a suburb of the city. He was laid to rest beside his son, who perished in battle for the militia in 1997.
Due to security concerns, the mourning ceremony was delayed until now. The event also honored Haschem Safieddin, who was killed shortly after Nasrallah in a separate Israeli strike.
A Global Gathering
Lebanon’s largest stadium witnessed an overwhelming turnout, with estimates exceeding 50,000 attendees, according to reports from the dpa news agency. Outside, throngs of spectators watched the proceedings on large screens. Notably, numerous Iraqis traveled to Beirut to attend, alongside delegations from Yemen and Iran.
The ceremony commenced with a reading of a speech from Iranian religious leader Ali Khamenei. Following a solemn prayer, the coffins of Nasrallah and the slain Haschim Safi al-Din, draped in yellow Hezbollah flags, were ceremoniously brought into the stadium. As the event unfolded, mourners expressed their grief by tossing cloths and flags onto the coffins, while excerpts of Nasrallah’s speeches resonated through loudspeakers. In the lead-up to the memorial, large portraits of both leaders adorned the streets of Beirut, enhancing the somber atmosphere.
For Hezbollah, this memorial served as a powerful display of unity and resilience. The death of Nasrallah was a significant blow to the Iran-backed militia, which has faced intense conflict with the Israeli army in recent months. Nevertheless, Hezbollah retains strong support among the predominantly Shia Muslim population in Lebanon. New Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem reassured the crowd that the group would uphold Nasrallah’s legacy and continue its mission.
Escalating Tensions
During the memorial, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed that Israeli fighter jets flew low over Beirut, a move perceived as a direct warning. Eyewitnesses reported hearing the aircraft as mourners chanted for the ‘destruction of Israel.’ Katz emphasized that Israel was sending a definitive message to those who might threaten its security. The Israeli army remarked on social media that the world was ‘a better place’ without Nasrallah.
Prior to the ceremony, Israeli forces targeted multiple sites in Lebanon, with reports indicating that a Syrian girl sustained injuries. Fortunately, there were no fatalities reported. The Israeli military claimed to have struck a Hezbollah military position identified through intelligence as violating the ongoing ceasefire, which has been in effect since late November. Despite a recent evacuation of most Israeli troops from northern Lebanon, tensions remain high, with the Lebanese government condemning the Israeli presence at several strategic points as a breach of the ceasefire agreement.