Hezbollah demonstrates its strength An exquisite and sprawling funeral was held for assassinated leader Hassan Nasrallah on Sunday, an event of hope for Iran-backed radical group Will restore its abused image in Lebanon After the latest war with Israel.
Thousands of people from all over the country and regions flock to the capital Beirut, a service held in Lebanon’s largest sports stadium, in the suburbs of the city. Thousands of people squeezed into the arena, while others flocked to the streets outside, many holding pictures of Mr. Naslara and waving the big Hezbollah flag.
The crowd screamed and cried as a truck carrying Mr. Naslara’s coffin entered the stadium, the voice of the former Hezbollah leader – clamped from his speeches and prayers – from the overhead Speaker responds. Some people threw scarves and flowers at the vehicle and wiped away their tears. Others shouted, “We have updated our oath, Naslara!”
“The large crowd in Lebanon expressed loyalty to the resistance movement,” said Naim Qassem, the current leader of Hezbollah, in a video speech broadcast on the stadium.
“Resistance will last and stay present no matter how you look at it,” he added. “Don’t mistake our patience for weakness.”
The funeral came five months after Israel killed Mr. Naslara on September 27, when 80 bombs were dropped in bunkers south of Beirut. When Israel killed Mr. Naslara, it eliminated a leader who enjoyed an almost mythical position among the Shiite Muslims in Lebanon and led them to resist Israel’s occupation of southern Lebanon. His death was one of the groundbreaking moments of the confrontation between Iranian agents and Israel, from which Hezbollah significantly weakened.
In the following months, the group was beaten by Israeli forces and its mastery of Lebanese politics has not yet been carried out, with many Lebanese blamed the group for dragging the country into its deadliest and most destructive war. one.
Hezbollah and Israel agreed to a ceasefire in November, forcing Hezbollah to withdraw from southern Lebanon and abandon its base along the border with Israel. Despite Israel’s agreement to withdraw from Lebanon as part of the truce, Israeli forces remain in parts of southern Lebanon, past deadlines.
Now, Lebanon is at a turning point.
After decades of consolidation of power, Hezbollah entered the war as the country’s most important political and military force. But it has become a shadow of its former self.
For more than two decades, Hezbollah has had momentum among Lebanon’s political opponents to regain power from the group. The country’s newly appointed president, Michel Aoun, vowed to disarm Hezbollah and return the monopoly of military power to the state.
Last week, the newly appointed Lebanese cabinet adopted a policy statement, shooting Hezbollah directly at Hezbollah and clarified that the state has only the right to defend Lebanese territory. This is the first policy statement since the end of the civil war in 1990, without mentioning the right of the Lebanese people to resist Israeli occupation – a line that has long helped legitimize Hezbollah’s existence.
Mr. Naslara’s funeral reflects the power struggle in Lebanon, which Hezbollah seized, an opportunity to re-identify itself as a political force.
Street supporters, with many showing loyalty to Mr. Naslara, Hezbollah is trying to convey the message: even if its leader is killed, its safe is out of place, its Syrian ally, Bashar Assad, Toppplen, topplron and customers, Iran, Iran, Iran, Iran, Iran, Iran, Iran, Iran, Iran, Iran, Iran, the group was weakened.
“The funerals are launch pads,” said Mohanad Hage Ali, senior researcher at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut. “They are trying to reshape themselves” and use Mr. Naslara’s death as a mobilization tool to surround people’s careers around them,” said Mohanad Hage Ali, senior researcher at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut. “They are trying to reshape themselves” and use Mr. Naslara’s death as a mobilization tool to surround people’s careers The rally, this took a huge blow.”
VIPs from Iran and Iraq attended the funeral, although neither Mr. Aon nor the newly appointed Prime Minister Nawaf Salam was present. Both of them sent agents – a decision highlighting the country’s political tensions and the efforts of officials to distance themselves from Hezbollah when pushing for financial support from the West.
Fun Machinery Service also pays tribute to Hashem Safieddine, who effectively led Hezbollah after Mr. Naslara’s death, and he was also killed by Israel.
Israel projected its own force on Sunday, with Israeli fighter jets roaring in Beirut, and air strikes hit several areas in eastern and southern Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah military activities described by Israeli officials.
Israeli Defense Minister Katz said in a statement that the purpose of the jets is to convey a “clear message” that “anyone who threatens to destroy Israel and attack Israel – this will be their end.”
The war between Hezbollah and Israel opened fire in Israel’s military posts in October 2023, while Lebanese militia began to fire in Gaza’s Palestinian ally Hamas.
The conflict escalated sharply last September, with Israeli forces invading much of southern Lebanon and violent bombings erupting across the country, which lasted about two months, and lasted for two months before the ceasefire in late November. .
In Lebanon, Hezbollah is widely regarded as a failure to suffer a sting in the war.
“Hezbollah forced the entire country to participate in this war, but it wasn’t enough to fight,” said Ali Mraay, 34, who worked as a delivery driver in Beirut. “South – the most beautiful area in the country – Destroyed by Hezbollah. Everyone who died in the war was because of this war in Hezbollah.”
The group now faces a difficult question for supporters, whether it can provide the billions of dollars needed to rebuild flattened towns and villages in the war.
Provisions on reconstruction support are crucial to support among followers among those who have been tested by Hezbollah’s faith in Hezbollah. Hezbollah responded immediately in 2006 with Iran’s cash allocation. But this time the reaction was slower.
In December, the rebels were overthrown by the rebels in December, which cut off the group after the Assad dictatorship (a significant allies against Iran and Hezbollah) after the Assad dictatorship (a significant allies against Iran and Hezbollah) the main land bridge.
Last week, Lebanon stopped flights to Beirut after the Israeli military accused Tehran of using civilian planes to smuggle cash to Hezbollah, in anger among Hezbollah supporters.
Mr. Naslara’s loss also devastating the organization’s public image. When the organization was an underground guerrilla, Mr. Naslara was responsible for the occupation of southern Lebanon with the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon, which ended in 2000 and led the organization formally into Lebanese politics.
He played many roles in the lives of Hezbollah members, serving as religious leader, political strategist and commander-in-chief. His charm – the rarity among the leaders of the region – is also the key to unifying Hezbollah followers. The current leader of the organization, Mr. Qassem, lacks the charm of Mr. Naslara and does not share his figure.
Despite this, experts warn against photographing Hezbollah.
The continued presence of Israeli forces in southern Lebanon provided Hezbollah’s leverage, effectively producing new forces for Hezbollah’s Raisond’être: armed resistance to Israel’s occupation.
The group’s brewing showdown with the new government has many in Lebanon.
Hezbollah, a terrorist organization designated by the United States in 1997, shows that it is willing to sacrifice anyone who challenges its challenges to power. In 2005, it included former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was killed in a car bombing in Beirut. A team of international investigators later concluded that Hezbollah was responsible.
“They lost the battle with Israel. But now people are going to do what they are going to do next. “If they can’t fight against Israel, will they use them against people inside Lebanon?” This is concerned. ”
Dayana Iwaza and Oun Ward Contribution report.
