Beirut: Israel has launched massive airstrikes on Beirut in Lebanon, targeting the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah in a bid to kill its chief Hassan Nasrallah. While it has still not been confirmed whether the Hezbollah Secretary General has been eliminated or not, read to know all about him – Who is Hassan Nasrallah
Who is Hassan Nasrallah?
Hassan Nasrallah is the Chief or Secretary General of Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group. Born in Beirut on August 31, 1960, Nasrallah is a son of a fruits and vegetable seller. While completing his education, Hassan Nasrallah joined Amal Movement a Shia political group in Lebanon for a brief period.
Nasrallah joined Hezbollah after the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon and in 1991, he replaced Musawi as the Chief of Hezbollah following the latter’s death in an Israeli airstrike the following year. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has led the Lebanese militant group for the past three decades, transforming it into one of the most powerful paramilitary groups in the Middle East.
Under the leadership of the 64-year-old Nasrallah, Hezbollah has fought wars against Israel and taken part in the conflict in neighboring Syria, helping tip the balance of power in favor of President Bashar Assad. An astute strategist, Nasrallah reshaped Hezbollah into an archenemy of Israel, cementing alliances with Shiite religious leaders in Iran and Palestinian militant groups such as Hamas.
Idolized by his Lebanese Shiite followers and respected by millions of others across the Arab and Islamic world, Nasrallah holds the title of sayyid, an honorific meant to signify the Shiite cleric’s lineage dating back to the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam. A fiery orator viewed as an extremist in the United States and much of the West, he is also considered a pragmatist compared to the militants who dominated Hezbollah after its founding in 1982, during Lebanon’s civil war. Despite the power he wields, Nasrallah has lived largely in hiding for fear of an Israeli assassination.
Is Hassan Nasrallah Still Alive?
The Israeli strikes on Beirut in Lebanon are targeted towards Hassan Nasrullah and while several Israeli media outlets have said that the Hezbollah chief has been eliminated and that he is no more, the militant group has said that Nasrallah is ‘fine and well’.
Amid the ongoing strikes on Beirut, reports suggest that communication has been lost with Nasrallah and other senior Hezbollah leaders. According to an IDF official, since the strikes have been targeted at the Hezbollah Headquarters, it is highly unlikely that Hassan Nasrallah is alive. However, nothing has been confirmed as of now.
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