BEIRUT — Almost five months after being killed in an Israeli airstrike, thousands of followers of Hassan Nasrallah, the longstanding leader of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, are converging on Beirut for his funeral on Sunday.
Nasrallah met his end on September 27 when Israeli forces targeted Hezbollah’s key operations center in southern Beirut with over 80 bombs. This incident has been marked as one of the most significant targeted killings by Israel in years.
The loss of Nasrallah, a founding figure of the Iran-backed Shiite organization and its leader for more than three decades, has dealt a severe blow to Hezbollah, which he has shaped into a formidable player in the regional landscape.
Hezbollah, classified as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and some of its allies, has faced substantial setbacks in the ongoing conflict with Israel, with several notable military and political leaders among the casualties.
Following this, Nasrallah’s cousin and successor, Hashem Safieddine, was also killed in an Israeli airstrike a few days later. Both have been buried secretly and are now scheduled for official funerals after Hezbollah announced its plans earlier this month.
On Sunday, large crowds are expected at Beirut’s primary sports stadium for the funeral ceremony before Nasrallah’s final burial.
Flights coming from Iraq, where Hezbollah enjoys significant support among Shiite populations, have been fully booked for several days. According to a transportation ministry official in Iraq, approximately 6,000 individuals have flown into Beirut recently to participate in the funeral.
Notably arriving from abroad is American influencer Jackson Hinkle, who is known for disseminating misleading information on social media, particularly favoring Russia’s narrative regarding the war in Ukraine.
“I am honored to be attending the funeral,” Hinkle stated on the social platform X after his arrival in Beirut. He also shared an image of himself in a war-ravaged village in southern Lebanon, holding a Hezbollah flag.
Nasrallah is revered by his supporters and has garnered significant acclaim among Shiites and across the Islamic world. He was bestowed the title of sayyid, a designation that recognizes his lineage tracing back to the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam.
Meanwhile, Lebanese authorities have revoked clearance for a passenger flight from Iran, leaving many who wished to attend the funeral stuck in Tehran, which sparked protests among Hezbollah supporters in Lebanon.
This decision came in the wake of Israeli accusations that Iran was funneling money to Hezbollah through civilian flights, prompting some Lebanese citizens to claim their government succumbed to Israeli pressure.
Those who initially aimed to travel from Iran are now rerouting through Iraq to reach Lebanon. Additionally, representatives from Iran-backed factions in the region are also traveling to the Lebanese capital for Nasrallah’s funeral.
Kazim al-Fartousi, a spokesperson for the Iranian-backed Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada group in Iraq, expressed his sentiments upon arriving on Friday, stating, “Nasrallah was the father, commander, and the book that we read every day to learn about freedom.”
U.S. Representative Joe Wilson from the Republican Party condemned Lebanese politicians who intended to participate in the funeral. He tweeted, “Any Lebanese politician who attends the funeral of the murderous terrorist Hasan Nasrallah is standing with the Iranian Regime.”
