Hassan Nasrallah is dead, Israel claimed today. The death of the Hezbollah chief has not been confirmed by the Iran-backed, Lebanon-based group, but the Israeli military has claimed that their airstrike on Beirut last night killed the 64-year-old.
This development has given rise to significant concern and speculation regarding the future of the militant group. Killing Nasrallah, who led Hezbollah for 32 years, would be a major blow to the organization.
Reading Israel reports dead Hezbollah chief: “Will no longer terrorize the world”
If he is out of the picture, who will lead Hezbollah’s charge against Israel and what does it mean for the future of the armed group?
Nasrallah’s legacy
“Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah holds no public office, but he is the de facto ruler of Lebanon. He rules by televised speeches. The rest of the state (even when there was a president and prime minister), Know their fate and tailor your policies to what you hear Nasrallah saying,” Hussein Abdul-Hussein, a veteran journalist, Middle East expert and research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington DC, told NDTV. told.
Reading Inside Lebanese politics: Hezbollah, Iran and a major battle for hegemony
Born in East Beirut in 1960, Hassan Nasrallah’s early life was influenced by the Lebanese Civil War, which prompted his family to return to their native village. At the age of 15, he joined the Shia political and paramilitary group Amal Movement. His academic journey took him to Iraq to study the Quran, but due to government pressure against Shia fundamentalists he returned to Lebanon in 1978.
In 1982, after the Israeli invasion, he left Amal to join Hezbollah, which was formed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. His leadership began in 1992 following the assassination of his predecessor Abbas al-Musawi. Under Nasrallah, Hezbollah transformed from a militia focused on resistance to Israeli occupation into a political force in Lebanon.
Hezbollah’s operations in southern Lebanon contributed to Israel’s withdrawal in 2000, a significant event that substantially boosted Nasrallah’s reputation. His opposition to Israel remained a cornerstone of his leadership, as he famously said, “I do not believe in the State of Israel as a legal state because it was founded on occupation.”
Implications of Nasrallah’s death
Replacing Nasrallah would present an unprecedented challenge, especially given Israeli military successes that have already destroyed Hezbollah’s leadership structure. The loss of Nasrallah will exacerbate these issues, as the group faces questions about its internal security after the assassination of several key commanders and recent pager blast attacks that rocked the group across Lebanon Is. Although Nasrallah is not expected to completely collapse Hezbollah, his removal would undoubtedly damage the group’s morale and serve as a powerful symbol of Israel’s military dominance.
Chatham House Policy Institute analyst Lina Khatib was quoted as saying, “Having Nasrallah killed or incapacitated would not lead to the collapse of Hezbollah, but it would be a major blow to the group’s morale. It would undermine Israel’s security and military superiority and access.” Will also underline. News agency Reuters.
The potential effects extend beyond morale; They could also affect Hezbollah’s military capabilities.
Hezbollah has been engaged in a year-long firefight with Israel along the Lebanese border, turning into the worst conflict since 2006. Hezbollah has increased its rocket attacks into Israel since the October 7 attack on Israel by the Palestinian group Hamas. Following the recent Beirut airstrike, Hezbollah launched several attacks on Israeli targets, indicating an effort to demonstrate its operational capability despite Israeli attack.
a leadership void
The question of succession is a big one. Any new leader would need to be acceptable to both Hezbollah’s internal factions and its Iranian backers. Currently, Hashem Saffieddine is seen as a possible successor to Nasrallah.
Saffieddine, who oversees Hezbollah’s political affairs and is a member of the group’s Jihad Council, is also Nasrallah’s cousin and shares a clerical background. The US State Department declared him a terrorist in 2017.
Nasrallah was grooming Saffieddine for leadership through various positions within the organization. His family connections, physical resemblance to Nasrallah, and religious status would all contribute to his potential leadership.