Hezbollah/ PNN

Hezbollah confirmed on Saturday the martyrdom of its Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah. They pledged to continue their “jihad against the enemy, supporting Gaza and Palestine, and defending Lebanon and its resilient people.” Earlier, the Israeli army officially announced the elimination of Nasrallah, according to spokesperson Avichai Adraee, following an Israeli strike on Hezbollah’s command center in southern Beirut. The Israeli army also stated they killed Hezbollah’s southern front leader, Ali Karki. Adraee mentioned that the airstrike targeted a central command location under a residential building, where Hezbollah leadership was coordinating attacks against Israeli citizens. He emphasized Nasrallah’s responsibility for numerous attacks against Israelis over the years and stated that Hezbollah, under his leadership, has continued aggression against Israel since the conflict escalated on October 8. 

Israeli army spokesperson Nadav Shoshani stated on Saturday that Israel is on high alert for a broader conflict following the elimination of Nasrallah, but they hope his death will push the Iran-backed group to change its course. In a press briefing after the announcement of Nasrallah's death, he said, "We hope this will change Hezbollah's behavior." However, he noted that there is still a long way to go in weakening Hezbollah's capabilities.