Israel announced on Saturday that its forces had killed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah in a large-scale attack on a suburb of southern Beirut, marking a major escalation in hostilities with Lebanon. Nasrallah, who had led Hezbollah for three decades, was confirmed to be dead by the group. Under his leadership, Hezbollah became a powerful Iran-backed paramilitary group in the Middle East, with an arsenal of ballistic missiles aimed at Israel. Nasrallah had called for the liberation of Jerusalem and was involved in various conflicts in the region, including Syria.
Born into a Shiite family in Beirut in 1960, Nasrallah rose to prominence within Hezbollah after joining the group in 1982. He became known for his role in driving Israeli forces out of Lebanon in 2000 and leading Hezbollah in a war with Israel in 2006. More recently, Hezbollah had been engaged in a rocket and drone campaign targeting northern Israel.
The assassination of Nasrallah by Israeli forces has raised concerns about further escalation in the region, with fears of retaliatory attacks by Hezbollah. Israel has justified its actions as a proactive defense strategy against its enemies in the Middle East. The Biden administration, along with other international partners, has been pushing for a cease-fire to prevent an all-out war. However, the situation remains tense, with the risk of a ground invasion of Lebanon by Israel looming.
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