Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike last year while inside the militant group's war operations room. The incident took place on September 27, 2023, when a series of Israeli airstrikes targeted several buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs, resulting in the death of Nasrallah and six other individuals.
Nasrallah, who had led Hezbollah for 32 years, was said to be meeting with other senior officials underground at the time of the attack. The assassination of Nasrallah escalated the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, leading to a two-month-long all-out war that devastated much of southern and eastern Lebanon until a ceasefire brokered by the United States took effect on November 27.
Hezbollah's top security official, Wafiq Safa, confirmed Nasrallah's death in the war operations room but did not provide further details. Safa also mentioned that Hezbollah's current leader, Naim Kassem, warned of potential retaliatory strikes against Israel if its troops did not withdraw from southern Lebanon by the end of the month.
As part of the ceasefire agreement, Hezbollah is required to relocate its fighters, weapons, and infrastructure north of the Litani River, while Israeli forces must withdraw from southern Lebanon within 60 days. The Lebanese army, supported by UN peacekeepers, is expected to be the sole armed presence in the region.
Despite the ceasefire, tensions remain high, with Lebanon and Hezbollah criticizing ongoing Israeli military actions and partial withdrawal from Lebanese territories. Israeli authorities argue that the Lebanese military has not fulfilled its obligations to dismantle Hezbollah's infrastructure.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who played a key role in negotiating the ceasefire, indicated that the Lebanese government would hold discussions with US envoy Amos Hochstein in the near future to assess the situation and determine the next steps.
Hochstein, who led diplomatic efforts to secure the fragile truce, has been instrumental in facilitating communication between the parties involved in the conflict.
