The Lebanese group Hezbollah announced on Saturday that its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed.
In a statement, the group vowed to continue its struggle against Israel in support of Gaza and Palestine and to defend Lebanon and its resilient people.
Earlier on Saturday, Israel claimed responsibility for killing Nasrallah in an airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs the day before. Following the announcement of Nasrallah’s death, Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV began broadcasting Quranic verses.
Israel launched several airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs and other parts of Lebanon on Saturday, following a large-scale attack on Hezbollah’s headquarters on Friday night, which seemed to target the group’s Secretary-General.
Before dawn on Saturday, Israel conducted over 20 airstrikes on Beirut, with more occurring after sunrise. Smoke was visible rising from the Dahieh area, where Hezbollah’s headquarters are located.
Thousands of residents have fled the area since Friday’s attack, gathering in public spaces, parks, and along the seafront in downtown Beirut.
Friday’s attack was one of the most intense by Israel on Beirut during the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah, which has run parallel to the Gaza war for nearly a year.
Israeli forces also carried out airstrikes in the Palestinian territories overnight, according to the territory’s civil defense agency. An airstrike on a house in the Nuseirat refugee camp resulted in two deaths and 11 injuries, the agency reported.
