One day after Israel’s airstrike targeted Hezbollah’s central headquarters in Beirut’s Dahiyeh district on Friday, the IDF has said that the strike lead to the death of Hezbollah chief, Syed Hassan Nasrallah.
The IDF also announced that the strikes by Israel killed Ali Karaki, the Hezbollah commander of the southern front, along with several other Hezbollah leaders.
“Almost 32 years after co-founding the Lebanese terrorist organization Hezbollah, its leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed, alongside Ali Karaki, Hezbollah’s commander of the southern front, as well as other Hezbollah commanders,” Jerusalem Post reported.
While Hezbollah has not issued a statement, Israeli officials have on Saturday morning confirmed that Nasrallah was present at the time.
Iranian Press TV claimed that Nasrallah is alive, citing sources close to Hezbollah. Hezbollah top source quoted by several news agencies said, “Nasrallah is a shadow I bet you he was not there at all, even the rank and file of Hezbollah can hardly predict his movement.”
Witnesses reported multiple explosions, and heavy smoke was seen rising from the area. Despite the severity of the attack, sources close to Hezbollah, as well as Iranian media, confirmed Nasrallah survived.
About three hours prior to the strike, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held consultations with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi.
The IDF stated that the targeted building was the core of Hezbollah’s operations and was intentionally located beneath civilian structures as part of the group’s strategy.
Following the strike, Netanyahu cut short his trip to New York, returning to Israel.