Thousands gathered in Beirut for the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, killed in an Israeli airstrike nearly five months ago. The mass event, attended by Hezbollah supporters, coincided with Israeli fighter jets flying overhead. The Israeli army claimed “the world is a better place” following Nasrallah’s death, which weakened Hezbollah’s influence amidst escalating tensions. Iranian leader Ayatollah Khamenei vowed to continue resistance against Israel. The ceremony also honored Hashem Safieddine, Nasrallah’s temporary successor, who was also killed in an Israeli strike. Nasrallah was buried alongside his son, Hadi, with his official funeral delayed due to a ceasefire.
New Delhi:
Today, thousands gathered on the outskirts of Beirut to honor Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, nearly five months after his death in an Israeli airstrike, which was a significant setback for the Iran-supported group.
However, the roar of Israeli fighter jets flying overhead momentarily overshadowed the chanting crowd below.
Images from the funeral revealed what local media identified as four Israeli F-16s flying over the procession.
Israel’s military stated today that “the world is a better place.”
“It is Hassan Nasrallah’s funeral today. The world is indeed a better place,” the Israeli army tweeted on X.
Nasrallah’s death marked a key moment in the Israeli escalation that significantly weakened Hezbollah, as he had led the Shi’ite Muslim group for decades amid conflict with Israel and transformed it into a militarized force with regional influence.
Supporters, carrying portraits of Nasrallah and Hezbollah flags, assembled early on Sunday for a mass funeral for Nasrallah and other fallen leaders at a stadium located in the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut, according to news agency AFP.
The Camille Chamoun Sports City stadium, which holds 55,000 people, was nearly filled hours ahead of the scheduled ceremony, as reported by AFP.
⚡️Zionist terrorists’ warplanes above the funeral pic.twitter.com/pnCIMv4Zgg
— War Monitor (@WarMonitors) February 23, 2025
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, pledged ongoing “resistance” against Israel.
“The enemy should be aware that the resistance against usurpation, oppression, and arrogance is not finished and will persist until our goals are achieved,” Khamenei stated on his official website.
The mass funeral seeks to project strength following Hezbollah’s significant losses in last year’s conflict with Israel, which resulted in the deaths of numerous leaders and thousands of fighters, and caused extensive devastation in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah’s situation was further complicated by the removal of its ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria, which disrupted a vital supply line.
“Although we have lost a great man, the value of the resistance remains. The resistance endures,” said Hassan Nasreddine, a Lebanese man traveling from the south to attend the ceremony, as he told AFP.
The funeral also honored Hashem Safieddine, who briefly led Hezbollah after Nasrallah’s death. He was killed in an Israeli strike before being officially named as Nasrallah’s successor.
Following his death, Nasrallah was temporarily laid to rest next to his son, Hadi, who died in battle for Hezbollah in 1997. His official funeral was postponed to allow Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon as per the terms of a U.S.-backed ceasefire, which concluded last year’s war.
With inputs from AFP