Tehran (Iran): Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned on Saturday what he called an Israeli "massacre" in Lebanon after strikes that Israel said killed the Hezbollah armed group's leader. Hours later, the Lebanese movement announced that Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah has been killed.
Lebanon's health ministry gave a preliminary toll of six dead and 91 wounded from the latest strikes on Beirut's densely populated southern suburbs since Friday, the fiercest to hit Hezbollah's stronghold since Israel and the group last went to war in 2006.
Lebanon's health ministry has said hundreds have been killed in Israeli air raids since Monday, the deadliest day of violence since Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war, as cross-border exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israel escalated.
"The massacre of the defenceless people in Lebanon once again revealed the ferocity of the Zionist rabid dog to everyone, and proved the short-sighted and stupid policy of the leaders of the usurping regime," Khamenei said in a statement, without mentioning the fate of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Hezbollah's announcement
Hezbollah's statement confirms earlier announcements from Israel's military that they had killed Nasrallah in an air strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, in a move that could destabilise Lebanon as a whole.
"Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary General of Hezbollah, has joined his great, immortal martyr comrades whom he led for about 30 years," Hezbollah said in a statement.
A source close to the group told news agency AFP on condition of anonymity that contact with Nasrallah had been lost since Friday evening. Khamenei's statement gave no mention of Nasrallah but he said Israel was "too weak to cause significant damage to the solid construction of Hezbollah in Lebanon."
'Stand with Hezbollah'
Khamenei called on the "Axis of Resistance", Iran-aligned armed groups across the Middle East that have targeted Israel and its US ally, to stand with Hezbollah. "Lebanon will make the aggressor and the evil enemy regretful," Khamenei said.
Khamenei also said that "the terrorist gang ruling Zionist regime hasn’t learned from its 1-year criminal war in Gaza and doesn’t understand the massacre of women, children, & civilians cannot hurt strong structure of Resistance or bring it to its knees. Now they’re testing the same absurd policy in Lebanon(sic)".
The terrorist gang ruling Zionist regime hasn’t learned from its 1yr criminal war in Gaza & doesn’t understand the massacre of women, children, & civilians cannot hurt strong structure of Resistance or bring it to its knees. Now they’re testing the same absurd policy in Lebanon.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) September 28, 2024
In another post on X, Khamenei said, "The Zionist criminals need to know that they are far too weak to be able to inflict any significant damage on the solid structure of Lebanon’s Hezbollah."
The Zionist criminals need to know that they are far too weak to be able to inflict any significant damage on the solid structure of Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) September 28, 2024
"All the Resistance forces in the region stand with and support Hezbollah. The Lebanese haven’t forgotten there was a time when the soldiers of the occupying regime were advancing toward Beirut, & Hezbollah stopped them & made Lebanon proud. Today too, by the grace & power of God, Lebanon will make the transgressing, malicious enemy regret its actions(sic)," another post from Khamenei's handle read.
The Lebanese haven’t forgotten there was a time when the soldiers of the occupying regime were advancing toward Beirut, & Hezbollah stopped them & made Lebanon proud. Today too, by the grace & power of God, Lebanon will make the transgressing, malicious enemy regret its actions.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) September 28, 2024
"It is an obligation for all Muslims to stand with the people of Lebanon and the honourable Hezbollah, offering their resources and assistance as Hezbollah confronts the usurping, cruel, malicious Zionist regime," Iran's supreme leader said. (with AFP inputs)
