BEIRUT — A significant gathering of supporters for Hassan Nasrallah, the long-serving leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah group, took place in Beirut on Sunday, nearly five months following his death from an Israeli airstrike.
The airstrike occurred on September 27, targeting Hezbollah’s key operational center in southern Beirut with over 80 bombs, marking one of Israel’s most impactful targeted assassinations in years.
The passing of Nasrallah, a foundational figure in the Iran-aligned Shiite group and its leader for over three decades, struck a major blow to Hezbollah, which has established itself as a formidable entity within the Middle Eastern political landscape.
Alongside Nasrallah’s death, Hezbollah has also endured various significant losses amid its ongoing conflict with Israel, including the deaths of several high-ranking military and political members.
His cousin and designated successor, Hashem Safieddine, was killed in another Israeli airstrike shortly thereafter. The two leaders had been temporarily interred in undisclosed locations until Hezbollah announced their formal funerals earlier this month.
On Sunday, large crowds are expected to gather at Beirut’s main sports stadium to honor Nasrallah before he is laid to rest.
Numerous flights from Iraq, where Hezbollah enjoys considerable support among Shiite communities, have seen constant activity prior to the funeral, with reports indicating that around 6,000 individuals traveled to Beirut in recent days, according to an Iraqi transportation official who wished to remain anonymous.
Among the visitors was American commentator Jackson Hinkle, known for disseminating misinformation on social media.
Upon his arrival in Beirut, he expressed his sentiment on social media platform X, stating, “I am honored to be attending the funeral,” alongside a photo of himself in a war-torn Lebanese village waving a Hezbollah flag.
Nasrallah’s influence stretched across the Shiite population and the Islamic world, where he was revered and held the title of sayyid, underlining his familial lineage tracing back to the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam.
Nonetheless, local authorities in Lebanon revoked permissions for a passenger flight from Iran, resulting in many supporters stranded in Tehran who intended to attend the funeral, which incited protests from Hezbollah backers in Lebanon.
The flight ban followed accusations from the Israeli army claiming Iran was using civilian flights to channel funds to Hezbollah, leading to speculation that the Lebanese government capitulated to Israeli pressure.
Consequently, some individuals scheduled to arrive from Iran are now rerouting through Iraq, while members of Iran-backed factions from the region are also traveling to Beirut for the occasion.
Kazim al-Fartousi, spokesperson for Iraq’s Iran-aligned Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada group, claimed upon his arrival on Friday that Nasrallah was “the father, commander and the book that we read every day to learn about freedom.”
U.S. Republican Rep. Joe Wilson expressed sharp criticism for Lebanese politicians who chose to attend the funeral, stating on X, “Any Lebanese politician who attends the funeral of the murderous terrorist Hasan Nasrallah is standing with the Iranian Regime.”
