What Nasrallah's death means for the Middle East conflict | DW News

00:23:36
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoHBNMmAkPo

Summary

TLDRThe Israeli military has claimed that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an airstrike on Beirut, targeting Hezbollah's headquarters. While the Lebanese militant group has not confirmed his death, Nasrallah's potential death marks a significant escalation in hostilities. The strike, which leveled buildings in Southern Beirut, comes amid ongoing tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, exacerbated by the latter's ties to Iran. If confirmed, Nasrallah's death could shake Hezbollah, impacting regional dynamics and Iran's influence. With Israel poised for further action, including a possible ground invasion of Lebanon, questions about the future leadership of Hezbollah and the trajectory of regional conflicts loom large. The situation is closely monitored internationally, with fears of a broader conflict and discussions around potential ceasefire agreements. In Lebanon, public reactions vary, and the Lebanese government faces scrutiny over its role and response.

Takeaways

  • 💥 Nasrallah possibly killed in Israeli airstrike.
  • 🏢 Strike targeted Hezbollah's central HQ in Beirut.
  • 🇮🇱 Israel prepares for potential further action.
  • 🇱🇧 Mixed reactions in Lebanon; no confirmation from Hezbollah.
  • ⚠️ Potential destabilization of Hezbollah and impacts on Iran.
  • 📉 Escalation risks mounting in the region.
  • 🛡️ Possible Israeli ground invasion remains uncertain.
  • 🤝 International calls for ceasefire and de-escalation.
  • 🔍 Public and global scrutiny of Lebanese response.
  • 📊 Significant implications for Hezbollah's future leadership.

Timeline

  • 00:00:00 - 00:05:00

    The Israeli military has announced that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nala has been killed in an airstrike on Beirut. The operation targeted Hezbollah’s headquarters, aiming at Nala, who led the group for over three decades. Israel's military chief emphasized that this is not the end of their operations and warned that any threats to Israeli citizens would be met. Despite the operation being long planned and conducted with precision, Hezbollah has not confirmed Nala's death. Meanwhile, speculations and tensions rise concerning potential retaliation by Hezbollah and possible Israeli military responses.

  • 00:05:00 - 00:10:00

    The Lebanese response to Nala's reported death remains speculative, with some celebrating and others awaiting official confirmation. Hezbollah has yet to comment, reflecting a strategic delay in communication. If confirmed, Nala's death could significantly impact Hezbollah and its operations, with a void for Iran to fill as Nala was a key figure in coordinating attacks with Iran. The situation complicates further with Israeli military movements and potential steps in Lebanon, reflecting uncertainty about escalation or a ground invasion.

  • 00:10:00 - 00:15:00

    Strategically, Hezbollah's succession is a concern for Iran following Nala's reported death, as key leadership figures are limited. While Israel appears to have targeted Hezbollah deliberately, its decision-making has broader implications on regional stability. The potential shift in Iranian involvement and Israel's strategic calculus highlights delicate balances and the complexities within Middle East power dynamics. Israel's strategic decisions aim to balance military advantages without entangling in a broader ground conflict, though tensions remain high.

  • 00:15:00 - 00:23:36

    The reported airstrike's impact is profound, with multiple buildings destroyed, affecting civilian areas and resulting in significant casualties. Israel asserts it acted to dismantle a major terror operation center beneath Beirut residential buildings, following dismissal of a 21-day ceasefire proposal. With significant forces mobilized and regional tension escalated, the incident underscores risks of widening conflict. Observers express concern about potential Iranian involvement and the broader ramifications for regional peace efforts. The airstrike reflects intense strategic calculations and geopolitical stakes.

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Mind Map

Video Q&A

  • Who was Hassan Nasrallah?

    Hassan Nasrallah was the leader of the Hezbollah militant group.

  • What did the Israeli military announce?

    The Israeli military announced that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an airstrike on Beirut.

  • How has Hezbollah responded to the alleged killing of Nasrallah?

    Hezbollah has not yet confirmed or commented on Nasrallah's alleged death.

  • What could be the implications if Nasrallah's death is confirmed?

    If confirmed, Nasrallah's death could destabilize Hezbollah and impact Iran's influence in the region.

  • What was destroyed in the Israeli airstrike on Beirut?

    The airstrike destroyed multiple buildings and allegedly targeted Hezbollah's central headquarters.

  • Who is believed to be behind Hezbollah's strategic moves?

    Hezbollah's strategic moves are believed to be influenced by Iran.

  • What might Israel's next military step be?

    A potential ground invasion of Lebanon remains uncertain, depending on Hezbollah's response.

  • How is the international community reacting?

    There are concerns about further escalation, and some parties are discussing potential ceasefire agreements.

  • What is the significance of Nasrallah for Hezbollah and Iran?

    Nasrallah was a key figure for Hezbollah and Iran's regional influence.

  • What is the Lebanese public's reaction?

    Reactions are mixed, with some celebrating and others awaiting official confirmation from Hezbollah.

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  • 00:00:00
    breaking news coming in is that the
  • 00:00:01
    Israeli military says the Hezbollah
  • 00:00:03
    leader Hassan Nala has been killed in an
  • 00:00:06
    air strike on Beirut the Israeli Defense
  • 00:00:08
    Forces said in a statement that Nala
  • 00:00:10
    will quote no longer be able to
  • 00:00:12
    terrorize the world Israel struck hpa's
  • 00:00:15
    headquarters in the city late on Friday
  • 00:00:17
    with reports indicating they were
  • 00:00:19
    targeting Nala the Lebanese militant
  • 00:00:21
    Group which normally confirms major
  • 00:00:24
    deaths among its ranks on the same day
  • 00:00:26
    has yet to comment on noa's fate he has
  • 00:00:29
    headed group for some three decades and
  • 00:00:31
    is credited with turning it into a major
  • 00:00:34
    fighting
  • 00:00:36
    [Applause]
  • 00:00:38
    force Israel's military Chief HEI halevi
  • 00:00:41
    said the attack on nasrala had been
  • 00:00:44
    prepared for a long time and will not be
  • 00:00:46
    the end of the
  • 00:00:49
    operation this is not the limit of our
  • 00:00:51
    capabilities it must be very clear there
  • 00:00:54
    are more tools at our disposal and the
  • 00:00:56
    message is simple anyone who threatens
  • 00:00:59
    the citizens of the state of Israel will
  • 00:01:01
    be reached whether in the north the
  • 00:01:03
    South or even in more distant places
  • 00:01:06
    this attack was prepared for a long time
  • 00:01:08
    executed at the right moment with great
  • 00:01:10
    precision and now we are moving forward
  • 00:01:13
    with careful preparation for the next
  • 00:01:16
    steps from wonders let's bring in DW
  • 00:01:19
    correspondent Tanya krer in Jerusalem
  • 00:01:21
    hello Tanya what are you hearing from
  • 00:01:23
    Israel regarding nales death and
  • 00:01:26
    possible retaliation by hpah
  • 00:01:31
    well most certainly everyone here was
  • 00:01:32
    waiting to hear what had happened after
  • 00:01:35
    this massive strike uh on a Friday uh
  • 00:01:38
    evening in the DEA um suburb of in
  • 00:01:42
    southern uh bayout and the Army said
  • 00:01:46
    then this morning that they actually
  • 00:01:47
    indeed killed uh the Secretary General
  • 00:01:50
    of hasbalah Hassan nasala uh according
  • 00:01:53
    to this announcement also uh other
  • 00:01:56
    commanders senior commanders were killed
  • 00:01:59
    in what they described as a Central
  • 00:02:01
    Command Center of the organization uh
  • 00:02:04
    underneath residential buildings that
  • 00:02:07
    are the Israel Air Force targeted there
  • 00:02:10
    now we have not have heard a
  • 00:02:12
    confirmation yet from
  • 00:02:14
    Hezbollah as to whether nasrala was
  • 00:02:17
    killed now this is seen as a watershed
  • 00:02:20
    moment here of course nasrala has led
  • 00:02:22
    the organization for over 30 years his
  • 00:02:25
    predecessor was also assassinated in
  • 00:02:28
    1992
  • 00:02:30
    by Israel and uh you know this comes
  • 00:02:32
    when Israel has taken es escalatory
  • 00:02:36
    steps uh since you know for the past two
  • 00:02:38
    weeks from the p and walkie-talkie
  • 00:02:41
    attacks to killing senior commanders
  • 00:02:43
    then on Monday this massive uh air
  • 00:02:45
    offensive on Southern Lebanon and
  • 00:02:48
    Eastern Lebanon and of course now this
  • 00:02:51
    we don't know yet the human tall of
  • 00:02:53
    these air strikes on the uh on Southern
  • 00:02:56
    uh bay rout but of course there's also
  • 00:02:58
    the question here in Israel now now what
  • 00:03:00
    will Hezbollah do next what will a
  • 00:03:02
    retaliation a possible retaliation look
  • 00:03:05
    like we've been hearing already air rate
  • 00:03:07
    sens as in the past weeks of course
  • 00:03:10
    going off in northern areas but you know
  • 00:03:13
    we don't know yet uh how large this will
  • 00:03:15
    get right so How likely is it that we
  • 00:03:19
    will now see an Israeli ground Invasion
  • 00:03:22
    on Lebanon cuz somehow it was
  • 00:03:27
    expected well we don't know yet exactly
  • 00:03:30
    what uh the uh military uh will do as
  • 00:03:33
    from now I I think this also depends on
  • 00:03:36
    the next steps by uh Hezbollah
  • 00:03:38
    potentially also by Iran but um we heard
  • 00:03:42
    just there the IDF chief of staff had
  • 00:03:45
    aliv as saying this is not the last tool
  • 00:03:48
    in our toolbox we've seen in the past
  • 00:03:50
    days a build up at the northern border
  • 00:03:53
    of ground forces uh also Reserve units
  • 00:03:57
    have been called up but having said that
  • 00:03:59
    there is a lot of I think substantial
  • 00:04:01
    support for the air campaign uh right
  • 00:04:04
    now in Lebanon against Hezbollah uh what
  • 00:04:08
    many Israelis see as a as a major threat
  • 00:04:11
    uh to uh Israel but you know this might
  • 00:04:13
    change also if there's a ground Invasion
  • 00:04:16
    because that is much more risky for the
  • 00:04:17
    soldiers there on the ground uh but at
  • 00:04:20
    the same time of course we've heard
  • 00:04:22
    military expert explaining that they
  • 00:04:24
    probably need to go in to create a sort
  • 00:04:27
    of buffer zone uh in this uh border area
  • 00:04:30
    so we we have to wait and see um because
  • 00:04:33
    it seems that Israel is unlikely at
  • 00:04:35
    least at this point in time as it looks
  • 00:04:37
    like uh to back down right only time
  • 00:04:40
    will tell DW correspondent Tanya kma in
  • 00:04:43
    Jerusalem thank
  • 00:04:46
    you let's get more from journalist
  • 00:04:49
    Stella Mena she joins us from Beirut
  • 00:04:51
    Stella Israel claims that he Nala has
  • 00:04:54
    been killed what more can you tell
  • 00:04:58
    us yes this is a statement that we've
  • 00:05:01
    only uh for now have heard from the
  • 00:05:04
    Israeli Army um it is no surprise as
  • 00:05:08
    there has been speculations going on um
  • 00:05:11
    ever since last night when Israeli Army
  • 00:05:14
    announced that Hassan Nella was the
  • 00:05:16
    target of the strike ever since then
  • 00:05:19
    people are wondering whether he is uh
  • 00:05:21
    still alive or not uh yesterday sources
  • 00:05:24
    very close to hisbah have denied his
  • 00:05:27
    death saying that he's in uh a good uh
  • 00:05:31
    State um but this is nothing uncommon so
  • 00:05:34
    far if we remember in August when um the
  • 00:05:37
    his Commander fat Shaker was killed this
  • 00:05:40
    is uh exactly the same thing that
  • 00:05:43
    happened back then uh after the attack
  • 00:05:46
    um the hisbah declared that he's still
  • 00:05:49
    alive and nothing has happened and later
  • 00:05:51
    on then had to admit that shooker was in
  • 00:05:55
    fact um killed right so uh basically
  • 00:05:58
    from what you're saying
  • 00:06:00
    there's not been any reaction so far
  • 00:06:02
    from hesah what about General reactions
  • 00:06:05
    inside the
  • 00:06:08
    country so inside the country the
  • 00:06:11
    reactions are a bit different there are
  • 00:06:13
    some people um on social media that are
  • 00:06:16
    celebrating the deaths of nasala they
  • 00:06:19
    seem to be very sure that this me
  • 00:06:21
    message is true and they are very happy
  • 00:06:24
    to read about the death of Nella um but
  • 00:06:27
    there are also some other people in the
  • 00:06:29
    who are more careful they are waiting to
  • 00:06:32
    hear what hisb is going to say um next
  • 00:06:37
    that hisbah has not said anything so far
  • 00:06:40
    it's no wonder they're probably still
  • 00:06:42
    busy figuring out how to communicate the
  • 00:06:45
    death how to set up the pr how to deal
  • 00:06:47
    with it and probably they're also busy
  • 00:06:50
    um to put that second uh in command um
  • 00:06:53
    in uh in a safer place right so if
  • 00:06:58
    confirmed that
  • 00:07:00
    he has been killed what will this mean
  • 00:07:02
    for
  • 00:07:05
    hesah if Nella is indeed death debt that
  • 00:07:08
    would have massive massive consequences
  • 00:07:11
    for the organization um Hassan nasrala
  • 00:07:14
    is known to be a very charismatic leader
  • 00:07:18
    uh he was very popular among um the
  • 00:07:21
    members of hisbah um because he spoke uh
  • 00:07:25
    the the urban accent here he often made
  • 00:07:28
    jokes he's also very led to Big
  • 00:07:30
    successes that Hezbollah has uh achieved
  • 00:07:33
    in the last couple of years um but he's
  • 00:07:36
    not only a very important leader for the
  • 00:07:39
    organization he's also a key figure for
  • 00:07:42
    the um whole so-called access of
  • 00:07:46
    resistant and the Iranian regime and um
  • 00:07:50
    if nasrala is death dead then um Iran
  • 00:07:54
    loses uh an important figure um nasrala
  • 00:07:58
    has was um was coordinating the attacks
  • 00:08:03
    from Lebanon with the Iranian regime and
  • 00:08:05
    the regime now has to figure out what
  • 00:08:08
    they are going to do nasarella knew
  • 00:08:10
    Lebanon much much better than the
  • 00:08:12
    Iranian regime he had an insight into
  • 00:08:15
    the country he knew about political
  • 00:08:17
    Dynamics um so if he's really uh dead um
  • 00:08:21
    he will leave a void that will be very
  • 00:08:23
    very um hard to feel right journalist
  • 00:08:27
    Stella Mena in beut thank thank
  • 00:08:33
    you let's get more with me in the studio
  • 00:08:36
    is DW Middle East analyst shannie ranes
  • 00:08:38
    shannie we have no confirmation from the
  • 00:08:41
    Lebanese side yet but why is that the
  • 00:08:44
    case well first of all probably it's a
  • 00:08:48
    good indicator of the chaos complete
  • 00:08:49
    chaos they still you know there after
  • 00:08:51
    this operation of Israeli forces
  • 00:08:54
    according to Israeli idea forces they
  • 00:08:56
    have dropped a ton of you know total sum
  • 00:09:00
    of bombs in a in a in a way ton on that
  • 00:09:02
    very building I mean there's very little
  • 00:09:04
    left behind um and of course it's also
  • 00:09:06
    the ambiguity is part of a strategic
  • 00:09:08
    tool you know they would rather you know
  • 00:09:10
    the Lebanese the Iranians they would
  • 00:09:12
    have liked to keep Israel in the dark
  • 00:09:13
    for as long as possible uh Israeli seem
  • 00:09:16
    to be very confident in this action I
  • 00:09:18
    mean there's no doubt they've been on
  • 00:09:20
    nzala tales for a long time uh I think
  • 00:09:23
    there was strategically a decision to
  • 00:09:25
    avoid hitting him until recently you
  • 00:09:28
    know there's been a shift in his policy
  • 00:09:29
    we've seen it in the last two weeks
  • 00:09:31
    definitely starting September 17th the
  • 00:09:33
    pages attack when Israel decided to go
  • 00:09:35
    into higher gear and not no longer stick
  • 00:09:37
    to this tit fortat kind of exchanges
  • 00:09:40
    we've been seeing since October and
  • 00:09:41
    eventually uh in the peak that we saw
  • 00:09:44
    last night deciding to go for the leader
  • 00:09:47
    of uh kisala nasala himself there's no
  • 00:09:50
    doubt how key nasala was to HPA now that
  • 00:09:55
    according to Israel at least that he's
  • 00:09:57
    no more what happens who takes over
  • 00:10:00
    that's a good question it's not a
  • 00:10:01
    decision to be made in in you know among
  • 00:10:03
    the ranks ofala whoever is still left
  • 00:10:05
    there alone this is definitely a
  • 00:10:07
    question that the Iranians will have to
  • 00:10:08
    do a lot with uh and they would like to
  • 00:10:10
    have somebody that they're close with
  • 00:10:12
    that they can trust but the the catter
  • 00:10:14
    of people left behind is not so big I
  • 00:10:16
    mean on the other on the one handbal was
  • 00:10:18
    a very organized hierarchal U
  • 00:10:21
    organization so and there've been people
  • 00:10:23
    in the ranks ofala for years and years
  • 00:10:25
    that have had experience but because
  • 00:10:27
    it's you know there was no democratic
  • 00:10:29
    process of election there was no it was
  • 00:10:31
    not easy to get a new vacancy in a way
  • 00:10:33
    it wasn't easy to get promoted so there
  • 00:10:35
    are people with enough experience but
  • 00:10:36
    it's not quite sure after these two
  • 00:10:38
    weeks and Israel is very hard pressure
  • 00:10:40
    onal who exactly is left and it's going
  • 00:10:42
    to be also interesting to see what the
  • 00:10:44
    Iranians choose in the sense that what
  • 00:10:47
    we've been seeing since October 7th you
  • 00:10:49
    know K bala's decision asa's decision to
  • 00:10:52
    step into this uh battle with Israel in
  • 00:10:55
    solidarity with the Palestinians and the
  • 00:10:57
    Iranians were officially congratul in
  • 00:10:59
    that and they've been you know they're
  • 00:11:00
    talking about their solidarity with the
  • 00:11:03
    Palestinian people but then at the same
  • 00:11:05
    time de facto um they've been keeping
  • 00:11:07
    sort of an arm length away from that
  • 00:11:09
    they did not want to get sucked in
  • 00:11:10
    completely into the that war and this um
  • 00:11:14
    Step that Israel has taken yesterday
  • 00:11:16
    that changes the whole Paradigm quite
  • 00:11:18
    deeply and Iranians are now facing the
  • 00:11:20
    question uh the Iranian regime and also
  • 00:11:23
    the the supreme leader himself who was
  • 00:11:24
    close and knew noala very well how deep
  • 00:11:27
    do we want to get into this how how much
  • 00:11:29
    do we let what's happening in the Middle
  • 00:11:31
    East in Israel in Palestine in with Gaza
  • 00:11:34
    all of that how much do we let it kind
  • 00:11:36
    of take over our agenda which we know
  • 00:11:38
    was actually focused on other things
  • 00:11:40
    connected to the economy there you know
  • 00:11:42
    there's also probably yet understanding
  • 00:11:43
    there needs to be more progress on the
  • 00:11:45
    nuclear deal which is the only safe
  • 00:11:47
    umbrella they have as against what they
  • 00:11:50
    see as hostility from the US and and and
  • 00:11:52
    Israel so it's going to be interesting
  • 00:11:54
    to see how they you know the Iranians
  • 00:11:56
    deal with having lost this very
  • 00:11:58
    important proxy on the verge of the
  • 00:12:00
    Israeli border from North uh that is
  • 00:12:02
    South Lebanon byala right how does this
  • 00:12:05
    all play into Israel's ultimate goal um
  • 00:12:11
    especially we been talking about a
  • 00:12:13
    possible ground invasion in this case
  • 00:12:15
    would that even still be necessary well
  • 00:12:17
    it depends I think Israel would like to
  • 00:12:18
    avoid it as much as possible a ground
  • 00:12:20
    invasion is exactly where Israel starts
  • 00:12:22
    to flail it has clear Advantage when it
  • 00:12:24
    comes to air strikes and Air Forces when
  • 00:12:26
    it comes to ground operation in the
  • 00:12:28
    south of Lebanon place that has you know
  • 00:12:30
    a stronghold ofala a lots of support
  • 00:12:32
    lots of also Through The Years
  • 00:12:33
    infrastructure and capability uh to to
  • 00:12:36
    Ambush and fight give a good fight to
  • 00:12:39
    Israeli forces they have known it
  • 00:12:41
    themselves as Israelis after 18 years in
  • 00:12:43
    what was the buffer zone back then
  • 00:12:44
    Israel had to retreat in 2000 so H foral
  • 00:12:47
    anyway it would be some sort of a gift
  • 00:12:49
    that they're giving you know the that
  • 00:12:50
    the chance for for fighting Israeli
  • 00:12:52
    troops one-on-one on the ground level
  • 00:12:55
    Israel would try to avoid it I'm not
  • 00:12:57
    sure I mean when it talks about giving
  • 00:12:59
    the Israeli citizens of the north the
  • 00:13:01
    sense of security that is good enough in
  • 00:13:03
    order for them to want to go back to
  • 00:13:05
    their houses I'm not sure Israel can
  • 00:13:06
    avoid a ground Invasion it's yet to be
  • 00:13:08
    seen the next days are very crucial uh
  • 00:13:10
    in to see how this is all is unfolding
  • 00:13:12
    how fast if at all it's escalate I
  • 00:13:14
    suspect there will be some sort of
  • 00:13:16
    response from Iran right meanwhile
  • 00:13:18
    there's still talks of a possible
  • 00:13:20
    ceasefire agreement um what are the
  • 00:13:23
    chances that we will see American
  • 00:13:25
    intervention to make that happen we've
  • 00:13:26
    seen Americans you know up until
  • 00:13:28
    yesterday still hoping uh this would
  • 00:13:30
    come to some sort of an agreement
  • 00:13:31
    because where the Americans stand is
  • 00:13:33
    that there's going to be an escalation
  • 00:13:35
    there's going to be a lot of blood uh
  • 00:13:36
    loss there's going to be a lot of damage
  • 00:13:37
    to infrastructure it's going to weaken
  • 00:13:39
    even more the already weak Lebanese
  • 00:13:41
    country and then there's going to be
  • 00:13:43
    some sort of of agreement so maybe we
  • 00:13:44
    can skip to the end and and save the
  • 00:13:48
    lives and the damage in the middle it's
  • 00:13:50
    I think it's a very logic way of seeing
  • 00:13:53
    things but I think it kind of Misses on
  • 00:13:55
    the psychology of of of this Dynamic you
  • 00:13:58
    know in in the effort of both sides to
  • 00:14:01
    deter each other and you know about how
  • 00:14:04
    the power struggle in the Middle East
  • 00:14:06
    work you know showing a force is is is
  • 00:14:09
    something that seems to be at least by
  • 00:14:10
    Israel now after October 7 seem to be
  • 00:14:12
    quite detrimental quite important in
  • 00:14:14
    trying to set up and build up its
  • 00:14:17
    strength again uh after the big blow of
  • 00:14:19
    October 7th Israel understands that it
  • 00:14:22
    could be that it could have avoided it
  • 00:14:24
    but the psychological effect of it of
  • 00:14:26
    this deterrence is something that cannot
  • 00:14:28
    be achieved by agreement so I don't see
  • 00:14:30
    it coming anytime soon but also keep in
  • 00:14:31
    mind the Americans do not want to see
  • 00:14:33
    this escalating and going out of hand
  • 00:14:35
    but at the same time they're very much
  • 00:14:36
    focused with their own agenda with the
  • 00:14:38
    elections coming and so they need to be
  • 00:14:40
    very carefully treading the line of how
  • 00:14:42
    to keep this under some sort of
  • 00:14:45
    manageable U conflict but at the same
  • 00:14:47
    time not letting it become a big topic
  • 00:14:49
    with the elections right sh was onist
  • 00:14:52
    anst thank you you're welcome
  • 00:14:56
    Ed now let's take a more de look at
  • 00:15:00
    Israel's aerial attack on hezbollah's
  • 00:15:03
    Beirut headquarters on Friday which led
  • 00:15:05
    to the reported death of the militant
  • 00:15:07
    group's leader Hassan nasrala
  • 00:15:13
    the explosions were felt as far as 30
  • 00:15:17
    kilm
  • 00:15:18
    away multiple buildings were leveled in
  • 00:15:21
    this residential suburb of Southern
  • 00:15:24
    Beirut Israel's Army quickly confirmed
  • 00:15:27
    it was behind the strike
  • 00:15:31
    moments ago the Israel Defense Forces
  • 00:15:34
    carried out a precise strike on the
  • 00:15:38
    central headquarter of the hisis balah
  • 00:15:40
    terror organization that served as a
  • 00:15:43
    epicenter of hisis bala's
  • 00:15:45
    Terror RIS bala's Central headquarter
  • 00:15:48
    was intentionally built under
  • 00:15:50
    residential buildings in the heart of
  • 00:15:53
    the D in Beirut the Israel Defense
  • 00:15:55
    Forces released this footage showing
  • 00:15:57
    defense minister Galant monitoring the
  • 00:16:00
    strikes on beut from Tel Aviv Israeli
  • 00:16:03
    media sources quoting officials say this
  • 00:16:06
    man was the target Hezbollah leader
  • 00:16:08
    Hassan nazala the strike came a day
  • 00:16:11
    after Israel rejected a 21-day truce
  • 00:16:14
    plan proposed by the United States and
  • 00:16:16
    its allies designed to prevent an allout
  • 00:16:19
    war in the Middle East it feared further
  • 00:16:22
    escalation could prompt hezbollah's
  • 00:16:24
    backa Iran to enter the
  • 00:16:26
    conflict Israel and Hezbollah have have
  • 00:16:29
    been exchanging fire across the Israel
  • 00:16:31
    Lebanon border for over 11 months since
  • 00:16:34
    the October 7th Terror attacks on Israel
  • 00:16:36
    by hezbollah's Palestinian Ally Hamas
  • 00:16:39
    both are considered terrorist groups by
  • 00:16:41
    multiple countries but this week Israel
  • 00:16:44
    dramatically intensified its strikes on
  • 00:16:47
    Hezbollah Targets in Lebanon killing 700
  • 00:16:50
    people according to Lebanese officials
  • 00:16:53
    and prompting more than a 100,000
  • 00:16:55
    civilians to
  • 00:16:57
    flee on Friday Iran's Embassy in Lebanon
  • 00:17:00
    vowed punishment for Israel saying the
  • 00:17:03
    strike quote changes the rules of the
  • 00:17:05
    game and that's just what international
  • 00:17:08
    observers
  • 00:17:10
    fear with Israel reported to have moved
  • 00:17:13
    thousands of troops towards the Border
  • 00:17:15
    in preparation for a potential ground
  • 00:17:18
    Invasion the prospects of a wider War
  • 00:17:21
    seem higher than
  • 00:17:24
    ever let's bring in Marram rabber
  • 00:17:27
    assistant professor of History at the
  • 00:17:29
    American University of Beirut hello and
  • 00:17:31
    welcome sir what's your reaction to the
  • 00:17:33
    news that Hezbollah Chief Hassan Nala
  • 00:17:35
    has been
  • 00:17:37
    killed well I would say that this is a
  • 00:17:39
    natural progression of events especially
  • 00:17:41
    that from the beginning of the war up
  • 00:17:43
    until now hassanah and hisbah and by
  • 00:17:46
    extension Iran have refused to
  • 00:17:49
    disconnect from the war in Palestine and
  • 00:17:51
    in addition to the fact that they have
  • 00:17:54
    failed to understand that the world has
  • 00:17:55
    changed while many people are looking at
  • 00:17:58
    the strike as a kind kind of a military
  • 00:17:59
    Victory I think what is happening is
  • 00:18:01
    basically it's a political
  • 00:18:03
    decision to get rid of hisbah and as
  • 00:18:06
    well as to put Iran uh under under trial
  • 00:18:09
    in a way Nala's militia are not
  • 00:18:13
    responsible only for the destruction of
  • 00:18:15
    Lebanon but in a way they were leading
  • 00:18:16
    the so-called Iranian expansions plan in
  • 00:18:20
    the region and so we see that the total
  • 00:18:22
    collapse of hisbah and the total
  • 00:18:25
    collapse of the Lebanese state is
  • 00:18:27
    something that every one of us as leines
  • 00:18:29
    should take a step back and think what
  • 00:18:31
    will happen after the Declaration
  • 00:18:34
    official Declaration of hisbah that
  • 00:18:36
    their leader and their so-called cult
  • 00:18:38
    personality have been killed and his
  • 00:18:41
    command has been wiped out right it's
  • 00:18:44
    interesting what you say because that's
  • 00:18:45
    exactly what I want to hammer on because
  • 00:18:46
    you know we've not heard a confirmation
  • 00:18:48
    from hpah yet but if his death is
  • 00:18:51
    confirmed what could it really mean for
  • 00:18:53
    hesah and its
  • 00:18:56
    operations well I think this idea that
  • 00:18:58
    buah cannot be destroyed is something
  • 00:19:01
    that was defeated in the streets of
  • 00:19:04
    Beirut the problem here is that hisbah
  • 00:19:07
    is only a manifestation of Iran and if
  • 00:19:10
    left alone Iran can go back to being a
  • 00:19:12
    spoiler in the region unfortunately I
  • 00:19:16
    have no problem with actually the
  • 00:19:17
    politics of hisbah because this is
  • 00:19:19
    something I'm willing to uh to debate
  • 00:19:21
    forever however we have to ask ourselves
  • 00:19:23
    where is the Lebanese government here
  • 00:19:25
    because hisbah showed that he is not
  • 00:19:28
    interested in the in the innocent
  • 00:19:30
    civilians first of all by storing
  • 00:19:32
    weapons and Rockets within civilian
  • 00:19:34
    populations and the explosions going off
  • 00:19:37
    across Lebanon is a case in point and
  • 00:19:40
    more importantly they have not set up
  • 00:19:42
    any kind of a civilian emergency plan
  • 00:19:44
    many of the innocent people that were
  • 00:19:46
    driven out of their homes in their
  • 00:19:48
    pajamas with their kids slept out in the
  • 00:19:50
    open sore and this is something which is
  • 00:19:53
    more tragic than the killing of nasala
  • 00:19:56
    so here we have to say that one has to
  • 00:19:58
    go back to the basics first of all the
  • 00:20:00
    International Community is clearly
  • 00:20:01
    telling us we should Implement un
  • 00:20:03
    Security Council resolution 1559 which
  • 00:20:06
    is basically no armed groups in Lebanon
  • 00:20:10
    except the Lebanese Army and Lebanese
  • 00:20:11
    state so if the ruling establishment and
  • 00:20:13
    the ruling Elite do not convene
  • 00:20:15
    immediately and elect a president and
  • 00:20:18
    reformulate the government lebanon's
  • 00:20:20
    tragedy will only be uh what we are
  • 00:20:23
    seeing is only just a sample of the
  • 00:20:25
    ongoing tragedy and this will become
  • 00:20:27
    worse and worse as time goes by right
  • 00:20:31
    and and worse and worse is where world
  • 00:20:34
    leaders don't want this to get they want
  • 00:20:35
    to prevent further escalation now Israel
  • 00:20:39
    has eliminated many hespa leaders in
  • 00:20:41
    recent days does hespa still have a
  • 00:20:44
    command structure or could this be the
  • 00:20:47
    end of
  • 00:20:49
    hollah I am someone who has never looked
  • 00:20:51
    at hezbollah's military capabilities
  • 00:20:53
    with much admiration and what had
  • 00:20:55
    happened recently proves my point first
  • 00:20:57
    of all hisbah is only a militia that is
  • 00:21:01
    serving the purpose of Iran by
  • 00:21:03
    suppressing the people of the region
  • 00:21:05
    Hezbollah is only good at killing Arabs
  • 00:21:07
    and killing Lebanese and syrians and
  • 00:21:09
    Iraqis and yemenis and they were never
  • 00:21:11
    ever geared towards really fighting
  • 00:21:13
    Israel and here and more importantly one
  • 00:21:15
    of the cardinal sins of hisbah that it
  • 00:21:18
    has lost its Compass so to speak
  • 00:21:20
    initially when hisbah was founded in
  • 00:21:22
    1982 it was founded against the backdrop
  • 00:21:25
    of the Israeli Invasion so they claimed
  • 00:21:27
    they wanted to liberate land at the
  • 00:21:29
    moment there's no occupied Lebanese land
  • 00:21:32
    whatsoever to fight for more importantly
  • 00:21:35
    when you do not have the national
  • 00:21:36
    interest of the Lebanese in mind this is
  • 00:21:38
    what happen so I don't think and I
  • 00:21:40
    actually have information that many of
  • 00:21:42
    the counter attacks that the hisbah
  • 00:21:46
    fighters are doing right now are more or
  • 00:21:48
    less uh individual initiatives meaning
  • 00:21:51
    that they don't have any sort of contact
  • 00:21:53
    with their leadership more than 90% of
  • 00:21:56
    hb's leadership are nowhere to be found
  • 00:21:59
    some of them are dead in the rubble and
  • 00:22:02
    some of them are actually hiding within
  • 00:22:03
    civilian uh civilian population which is
  • 00:22:06
    basically very alarming right we cannot
  • 00:22:09
    talk about Hezbollah without mentioning
  • 00:22:12
    Iran a main supporter and Backer of
  • 00:22:14
    hesah what does this mean for
  • 00:22:18
    Iran well Iran now has the difficult
  • 00:22:21
    decision if they think that they can get
  • 00:22:23
    away with destroying Lebanon and
  • 00:22:26
    Palestine and simply just lay low as the
  • 00:22:29
    president Iranian president at the
  • 00:22:31
    moment tried to do at the UN General
  • 00:22:34
    Assembly meetings and saying that that
  • 00:22:36
    Iran wants to uh to cooperate in order
  • 00:22:39
    to establish security and stability in
  • 00:22:41
    the region now they have been called out
  • 00:22:44
    so their Bluff of being a kind of a
  • 00:22:47
    positive uh positive uh Factor will be
  • 00:22:52
    determined in the next couple of uh of
  • 00:22:54
    days moreover I believe that ultimately
  • 00:22:57
    Netanyahu as well as many Western
  • 00:23:00
    countries has gotten to this realization
  • 00:23:02
    that if we do not address the elephant
  • 00:23:05
    in the room which is Iran this will only
  • 00:23:08
    be one episode in a series of other
  • 00:23:10
    chapters that can only bring more death
  • 00:23:13
    and destruction to the entire region as
  • 00:23:15
    well as to the International
  • 00:23:18
    Community right mam Raba from the
  • 00:23:20
    American University of Beirut thank you
  • 00:23:23
    for your insights thank you thank you
  • 00:23:25
    very much
Tags
  • Nasrallah
  • Hezbollah
  • Israel
  • Lebanon
  • airstrike
  • Beirut
  • Iran
  • Middle East
  • military
  • escalation