Tens of thousands mourn Hezbollah leader Nasrallah in mass funeral in Lebanon
Tens of thousands of people gathered at a stadium in Lebanon’s capital Beirut to mourn Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in a public funeral nearly five months after he was killed by an Israeli airstrike.
Tens of thousands of people gathered at a stadium in Lebanon’s capital Beirut to mourn Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in a public funeral nearly five months after he was killed by an Israeli airstrike.
Determined to project strength despite the devastating losses it has faced since Nasrallah’s death — including leadership uncertainty and mounting Israeli military pressure — a weakened Hezbollah staged the funeral as a display of unity and resilience.
Nasrallah was killed on Sept. 27 when Israeli forces bombed a building in southern Beirut where he was meeting with Hezbollah commanders. It was a stunning assassination that shocked supporters in Lebanon and across the region, as Israel celebrated killing a man who had orchestrated attacks on the country and posed a threat to its security.
Hezbollah began exchanging fire with Israel in support of Palestinians on Oct. 8, 2023, the day after Israel declared war on Hamas following the Oct. 7 attacks. The 14-month conflict lead to an Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon and prolonged bombing of Beirut that targeted Hezbollah leadership and led to Nasrallah’s death.
The 48,000-seat Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium in Hezbollah’s stronghold of southern Beirut was awash with the yellow and green of Hezbollah flags as mourners paid tribute to the divisive leader who led the militant group for more than three decades.
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