Nasrallah buried amidst a sea of Hezbollah supporters | Live coverage

We are closing this live coverage of the funerals of former Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and his presumed successor Hachem Safieddine, who were assassinated by Israel. Thank you for following.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf stated, after his meeting with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, that Iran "supports any decision made by the Lebanese government, people, and resistance in Lebanon." Ghalibaf was leading an Iranian delegation to attend Hassan Nasrallah's funeral in Beirut.

Traffic is very heavy in the evening on the Hadath (towards the east) and Choueifat (towards the south) roads, likely due to the return of participants from Nasrallah's funeral to their hometowns, according to the National News Agency (NNA).

It took over an hour to remove Hassan Nasrallah's coffin from the vehicle that transported it to the burial site, due to the dense crowd, with many people wanting to approach the coffin and bless themselves, according to footage shown on local TV channels.

Finance Minister Yassine Jaber wrote on his X account that "the scene (of Hassan Nasrallah's funeral) today (Sunday) was historic and filled with the spirit of resistance and a unifying national speech, mentioning Lebanon as a definitive homeland, under the auspices of the Taif Agreement and the state."

However, the minister appointed by Amal, the other component of the Shiite duo, regretted that this day "was not more inclusive of all parties, and the opportunity to revive the memory of all the martyrs of Lebanon... Such national participation would have strengthened the path towards the country's 'salvation' process," he added.

Estimates of the number of participants in the funerals of Nasrallah and Safieddine coming from the Bekaa are said to be at least 230,000 people, arriving in around 40,000 cars and 4,000 buses and minibuses. These estimates are reported by Hezbollah-affiliated media in the region, as cited by our correspondent Sarah Abdallah.

🔴 "We control territories along our northern border inside Lebanon and opposite our villages, and we will continue to do so until the Lebanese Army and government fulfill all their obligations under the agreement," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, as quoted by Israeli media Yediot Aharonot.

Netanyahu made these remarks during an Israeli officer graduation ceremony.

The funeral procession for Nasrallah and Safieddine has concluded, and the burial ceremony is now underway. However, Al Mayadeen reports that attendees are leaving as the burial is closed to the public for privacy reasons.

The coffins of Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine have arrived in the courtyard of the former's mausoleum, located near Beirut International Airport, according to Hezbollah's Al-Manar channel.

Israeli jets flying over the runways of Beirut airport. (Credit: @AvichayAdraee on X)

Commenting on the Israeli warplanes' low-altitude flyover of Beirut during Nasrallah's funeral, the Israeli army's Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, stated that it was a "clear and strong message." He noted that only "Hezbollah and Iranian militia flags" were visible inside Sports City Stadium.

Adraee shared his message on X, accompanied by several aerial photos taken during the flyover. These images showed three Israeli fighter jets over Beirut, major roads in the Lebanese capital with parts of the crowd, and the runways of Beirut airport.

Two weeks ago, Adraee had issued a warning regarding Beirut airport, claiming that it was being used to transfer funds from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards to Hezbollah.

Following this warning, Lebanese authorities indefinitely suspended flights between Tehran and Beirut.

At Beirut international airport:

Flights resumed at Beirut airport after being suspended from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

An MEA flight from Rome arrived at 4:03 p.m., followed by another flight from Amman, which landed six minutes later, according to the Beirut airport's website.

Credit: Mohammad Yassine / L'OLJ

In pictures

The coffins of Hassan Nasrallah and Hachem Safieddine inside Sports City Stadium.

The President of the Lebanese Democratic Party, Druze leader Talal Arslan, posted photos on his X account showing him offering condolences to Mohammad Mahdi Nasrallah, one of Hassan Nasrallah's sons.

"May God have mercy on the soul of the martyr of the nation and the Hashemite martyr [in reference to Nasrallah and Safieddine, ed.], as well as all the heroic martyrs," he wrote.

The truck carrying the coffins of Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine is moving along the highway toward Beirut airport, according to footage from Al-Manar TV. The vehicle is protected by a transparent plastic structure, and masked fighters surround the convoy as it passes in front of the crowd, which salutes its passage.

Commenting on Hassan Nasrallah’s funeral, the Israeli army’s Arabic-speaking spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, questioned on X why Hezbollah’s supporters are in mourning.

"Are you mourning a man who turned Lebanon into a failed state? The one who sold your future to secure Iran’s interests? The one who destroyed the economy and dragged the country into absurd wars?" he wrote.

"Since Nasrallah took command of Hezbollah, Lebanon has known only collapse," he added. He concluded: "To all those mourning him today, I ask — are you truly sad, or in denial?"

The Israeli army claimed responsibility for strikes on "rocket launch platforms" in the Baalbeck region and sites in South Lebanon where Hezbollah activities were detected.

Israeli warplanes carried out multiple strikes during Hassan Nasrallah's funeral ceremony, targeting the Baalbeck region as well as several locations in the South, according to reports from our correspondents.

From our archives:

In this ground report from Sept. 29, displaced individuals from regions heavily bombarded by the Israeli army shared their immediate reactions following the announcement of Hezbollah's Secretary-General's death with our journalists.

The procession has set off from the Sports City Stadium toward the mausoleum where Hassan Nasrallah will be buried, near Beirut airport. Tens of thousands of participants are moving slowly on foot along the road leading to the airport.

Hashem Safieddine, on the other hand, will be buried in his hometown of Deir Qanoun al-Nahr in South Lebanon.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar stated that Nasrallah's funeral marks a turning point for Lebanon. He asserted that the country must choose between "remaining under Iranian occupation," represented by Hezbollah, or "taking the path of liberation and regained freedom."

Hassan Nasrallah's coffin will be placed back on the vehicle for the journey to the mausoleum for burial, along the old airport road. The crowd will follow on foot, as the road is closed to vehicles.

At Sports City Stadium

The crowd prays in silence in memory of Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine, inside and around the Sports City.

After Naim Qassem's speech ends, the speaker asks the crowd to take one last look at the two coffins, which are carried by fighters toward the exit to the sound of a funeral hymn. The pallbearers struggle to move forward as the crowd pushes forward, trying to touch Nasrallah's coffin.

Naim Qassem: "What are our constants for this new phase? Resistance is essential and remains our right as long as the occupation persists, and we will decide how to exercise it. We will give diplomacy a chance, and then we will reassess."

"Palestine is a right, and we stand against Trump's plan for the Middle East. We will confront it. We will contribute to building a strong Lebanese state under the Ta'if Agreement, with key pillars: ending the occupation, reconstruction, and implementing an economic rescue plan. We are committed to ensuring that everyone takes part in building this state. Lebanon is a permanent homeland for all its people, including us."

"No one can come between Amal and us. We believe in the strength of the army — there are no winners or losers in Lebanon."

Naim Qassem to Lebanese "sovereigntists": "Wake up! You say nothing about Israel or the United States — do you call that sovereignty? Are you not impressed that we emerged from underground to force Israel to request a cease-fire? That unarmed people marched to southern Lebanon to reclaim their land? Or that we facilitated the election of a president and the formation of a government?"

Naim Qassem to Lebanese "sovereigntists": "Wake up! You say nothing about Israel or the United States — do you call that sovereignty? Are you not impressed that we emerged from underground to force Israel to request a cease-fire? That unarmed people marched to southern Lebanon to reclaim their land? Or that we facilitated the election of a president and the formation of a government?"

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, commenting on the flyover of Beirut during Nasrallah's funeral: These planes "send a clear message: whoever threatens to destroy Israel and attacks it will meet this fate," referring to the former Secretary-General.

Naïm Qassem: "The resistance endures and remains present, regardless of what you may think. We will continue to exercise it according to the decisions of its leadership, and we will not allow the United States to control the country. You will not take through politics what Israel failed to take through war. Lebanese officials are under pressure, but they are well aware of the internal balances."

"Do not mistake our patience for weakness."

Naim Qassem: "At this new stage, the objectives have changed. We have prevented the Israelis from advancing, and now it is the responsibility of the state to ensure their withdrawal. We are no longer facing mere Israeli violations but a new aggression against Lebanon and a new occupation."

"The resistance remains present, and we will continue until victory. But as long as we are not all engaged in this struggle, it will not be possible. So wake up and recognize the example that the resistance has set for you. Resistance remains a right, a belief, and a duty, and no one can take that away from us."

Naim Qassem: "We opened the support front with Gaza, but the Israelis had already planned the war against us just four days later. Behind Israel stood the American tyrant, who wanted to confront the entire resistance. The pressure was unprecedented, but so was the resistance, and we managed to restructure ourselves. The 75,000 Israeli soldiers [mobilized for the ground offensive, ed.] could not advance on our land. You are a people that cannot be defeated."

"We accepted the ceasefire because it was not possible to continue a battle with no horizon, and it was a demonstration of strength on our part."

Naim Qassem: "This unprecedented massive crowd in Lebanon is an expression of loyalty to the resistance, as well as a symbol of national and Islamic unity, and unity around the Palestinian cause."

Naim Qassem: "I also salute the wounded and the hostages, and we tell them that we will not abandon you in the hands of the Zionists. All necessary pressure must be exerted to secure your release."

A source close to Hezbollah indicated at the end of September that seven fighters from the pro-Iranian group had been captured by the Israeli army during the conflict.

The issue of Hezbollah prisoners held by Israel was added as a condition for extending the cease-fire agreement, which expired on Feb. 18. No prisoner releases have taken place since.

Naim Qassem: "Out of loyalty, I must mention other figures who were killed in the two attacks — alongside Nasrallah, Hajj Abbas [Nilforoushan, ed.] of the Revolutionary Guards, and other leaders of the Lebanese Resistance."

The strike also killed Ali Karaki, described as the leader of Hezbollah’s southern front and considered the group's third-ranking military official.

Naim Qassem to Hashem Safieddine: "You will be missed as a pillar of the resistance, but you remain present in our minds."

Naim Qassem: "We want to pledge allegiance to you, Hassan Nasrallah."

The crowd chants in unison: "We remain faithful to the oath, Nasrallah!"

Naim Qassem: "Hassan Nasrallah is the beloved of the resistance fighters and of everyone, the champion of the Palestinian cause. He remained on the front lines until his assassination. He lives on within us. We will remain faithful to the oath after your death, just as you once said after the death of Abbas Moussaoui: we will not abandon the path of Resistance."

Naim Qassem recalls several key moments in Hassan Nasrallah’s life, particularly his early entry into religious life and his commitment to religious and political affairs, up until 1982, when Hezbollah was founded, "of which he was a pillar." He then became President of the Executive Council in 1989 before assuming the role of Secretary General following the assassination of his predecessor.

Naim Qassem: "Let everyone know that you are renewing your oath today. Today, we bid farewell to an exceptional leader of national and regional stature, beloved by the people and the oppressed of this world, beloved by the Palestinians — Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah."

Naim Qassem begins his speech by greeting the crowd "who have come from all corners of the world, and the entire Lebanese people, represented in all its sects," as well as political representatives, foremost among them "the Great Brother Nabih Berri, the Speaker of Parliament."

South Lebanon

Israeli warplanes continue to fly over Tebna in the Saida district after launching two attacks on the village, according to our correspondent.

Credit: Zeina Antonios

Outside the Sports City

While the ceremony inside the stadium was scheduled to last 65 minutes starting at 1:00 p.m., and as Naim Qassem’s speech begins, many people gathered outside are now heading toward the highway, where the procession to the mausoleum for Hassan Nasrallah’s burial will take place, reports our journalist Caroline Hayek.

Hassan Nasrallah’s successor, Naim Qassem, has begun his speech, broadcast on a screen. He is not present in the stadium.

The Hezbollah leader speaks against a blue backdrop, with a photo of Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine behind him. Hezbollah and Lebanese flags are displayed beside him.

The ceremony continues at the Sports City, where the procession of the two coffins has been ongoing for about half an hour.

Beirut

Israeli warplanes seen from the balcony of a resident of the southern suburbs of Beirut.

At Sports City

"We bury our loved ones today, but we remain faithful to the oath, and let all our enemies hear us," declares the speaker into the microphone.

At Sports City

"Preserving the resistance is what matters most, we are all the resistance," chants the crowd in response to the speaker.

Testimony

Holding photos of Hassan Nasrallah and family members who died in Israeli bombings, women cry out and scream in anguish as the coffins arrive, reports our journalist Zeina Antonios, describing an atmosphere of collective hysteria. Due to overwhelming emotion, some women faint, while others hurl insults at Israel, she adds.

South Lebanon

Israeli fighter jets have carried out two strikes on the village of Tebna, near Baissariyeh (Nabatieh district), according to our correspondent. Israeli aircraft continue to fly over southern Lebanon.

"Allah Akbar! Your missiles did not frighten us, nor did the sound of your planes," shouts the speaker into the microphone, echoed by the crowd, as five fighter jets fly at very low altitude over Beirut’s southern suburbs.

"Death to Israel!" the speaker shouts into the microphone, echoed by the crowd. He then continues: "Death to America!"

The crowd throws scarves and other objects, which the men accompanying the coffins slide over them before returning them — a gesture seemingly meant to confer a blessing from the two deceased.

Beirut

Israeli warplanes have flown at a low altitude over Beirut.

Screenshot from Al-Manar

The coffins of Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine, aboard a vehicle, are presented to the crowd of tens of thousands gathered at the Sports City.

South Lebanon

⚡Israeli warplanes have carried out airstrikes on the villages of Aaziyyeh (Sour district) and Wadi Berghoz (Hasbaya), according to our correspondent in the South.

At Sports City Stadium:

Prayers and excerpts from Hassan Nasrallah's speeches are being broadcast.

“All the enemy possesses is the power to kill us,” the former Hezbollah leader is heard proclaiming through the loudspeakers, while the crowd chants: “We renew the oath, Nasrallah.”

Men standing near the coffins throw flowers to the crowd.

At Sports City

A curtain opens in the stadium, allowing a truck to enter, carrying the coffins of Nasrallah and Safieddine. In the background, a speech by Hassan Nasrallah is being broadcast. The crowd shouts, "Labayka Nasrallah" ("At your command, Nasrallah"), while many people are in tears.

Bekaa

⚡ Israeli fighter jets have struck Boudai al-Hafir, west of Baalbeck, according to our correspondent in the Bekaa, Sarah Abdallah. This is the third Israeli strike on this region since the beginning of the day, following two raids on the Hermel area.

The crowd recites Al-Fatiha, the opening surah of the Quran, for the salvation of the souls of Hassan Nasrallah and Hachem Safieddine.

A representative of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, reads a speech on his behalf:

"The great resistant and leader of the Resistance in Lebanon, Hassan Nasrallah, has attained the great honor of martyrdom, but his spirit will continue to reign after his death. Let the enemy know that the resistance will remain until it has achieved its objectives."

This representative also pays tribute to the "great resistant Hachem Safieddine, a great national figure," as well as to the Lebanese resistance fighters.

South Lebanon

Israeli fighter jets are flying over south Lebanon, particularly over the Jabal al-Rihan heights (Jezzine district), according to our local correspondent.

The arrival of Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri at the stadium is announced over the microphone. He is attending the ceremony as a representative of the President of the Republic.

The Lebanese national anthem and Hezbollah's anthem are being played in the stadium by a military band from the party, dressed in beige fatigues. The crowd sings along in unison to Hezbollah's anthem.

As the ceremony begins inside Sports City with prayers, many women cannot hold back their tears, reports our journalist on the ground, Zeina Antonios.

Credit: Nicholas Frakes/L’Orient Today

A man standing in front of the Hezbollah flag-draped Sports City Stadium.

Lebanese Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar is monitoring the security measures implemented by the Internal Security Forces (ISF), the Lebanese Army and Civil Defense in and around Sports City Stadium for the funeral, according to NNA.

Security and military forces began enforcing the necessary security measures last night and early this morning on all boulevards and roads leading from Beirut and other regions to the funeral site at Sports City.

The Israeli army said in a brief statement on X:

"Today is Hassan Nasrallah’s funeral. Today, the world is a better place."

The head of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), Gebran Bassil, wrote on X, addressing Hassan Nasrallah:

"On the day of your funeral, the hours of long dialogue between us rush into my memory. A cause that brought us together is the protection of Lebanon's land, people, and wealth, its mission, and the relationship between its people."

"In your life, as in your martyrdom, you carried and defended this truth, which, even if we parted ways, was and will remain our cause in the FPM. May God have mercy on you and protect Lebanon," he added.

The Free Patriotic Movement is represented by at least two MPs at the funeral ceremony: Salim Aoun and Cesar Abi Khalil.

Inside Sports City

Among the prominent figures present at the stadium is an Iranian delegation that arrived around 12:30 p.m., consisting of over 40 Iranian MPs, led by Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Among the Lebanese attendees, L'Orient Today identified:

- Ali Hassan Khalil, a close aide to Nabih Berri and member of the Amal Movement

- Emile Lahoud, former Lebanese president and pro-Assad figure

- Ali Hijazi, president of the Baath Party

- Representatives of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (PSNS)

- Sleiman Frangieh, former MP, leader of the Marada Party, and former presidential candidate backed by the Shiite tandem

- Oussama Saad, MP for Saïda and leader of the Nasserist Party

- Salim Aoun and Cesar Abi Khalil, MPs from the Free Patriotic Movement

- Sheikh Ali el-Khatib, leading a delegation from the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council (CSC)

Israel/South Lebanon

The Israeli army is preparing to lift the current "defense directives" in place for northern border communities following the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah, according to Israeli public broadcaster KAN, as reported by The Jerusalem Post.

Residents of Israel’s northern border villages have not yet been allowed to return home since their evacuation at the start of the war with Hezbollah on Oct. 8, 2023.

As the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah unfolds today, we explore why the deaths of prominent leaders like Nasrallah, Bachir Gemayel and Rafik Hariri often trigger a collective denial. This psychological phenomenon has deep roots, going beyond politics and even ideology, and is linked to a powerful emotional bond formed between leaders and their followers.

Chawki Azouri explains this dynamic in this article from our archives.

South Lebanon

The Israeli army has opened fire towards a shepherd in the plain of Wazzani (Marjayoun district), without injuring him, according to our correspondent in the South.

As Hassan Nasrallah is laid to rest, we take a look back at the "popular funerals" of four key Hezbollah figures — moments that shaped the party’s history and cemented its narrative.

Read the full retrospective here.

Beirut

Drones have been flying at low altitude over Beirut and its southern suburbs since this morning, according to our journalists on the ground.

Israeli drones flew over Beirut almost daily during the war, but these flights have become less frequent since the cease-fire took effect on Nov. 27.

Inside Sports City

In front of the crowd, singers perform eulogies in memory of Hassan Nasrallah, along with religious hymns, according to footage from Al-Manar.

Giant screens broadcast these chants both inside the stadium and outside.

Bekaa

According to our correspondent in the Bekaa, the Israeli airstrikes near Hermel caused no casualties.

Around Sports City

The people seated on chairs placed on the vacant lot near Sports City, facing a screen broadcasting the ceremony, arrived overnight, explains our journalist Caroline Hayek. They slept in the cold and under heavy rain that fell last night. An entire section of chairs has been reserved for the families of "martyrs," she adds.

Meanwhile, other families are expressing anger over being unable to enter the stadium, feeling they have been treated unfairly. They say they chose to follow the rules and did not seek favors to gain access, "unlike others."

South Lebanon

A young Syrian girl was injured in the Israeli airstrike that targeted the area around Qleileh, in the Sour district, this morning. She was transferred to the Italian Hospital in the southern city, reports our correspondent Muntasser Abdallah.

Women on the road leading to Sports City. (Credit: Nicholas Frakes/ L'Orient Today)

Testimonies

Outside the stadium, many women are in tears, reports our journalist Zeina Antonios.

Not far away, Faysal Abou Abbas, who traveled specifically from Bahrain, a Shiite-majority country, describes the day as “historic.”

"We came for the leader of the resistance, who meant everything to us. Bahrain loves Sayyed [Hassan Nasrallah] and Hezbollah. His death, along with that of Hashem Safieddine, was a shock — we still can’t believe it..." he says, before breaking into tears.

Bekaa

⚡ Our correspondent in the Bekaa reports that a second Israeli airstrike has targeted the outskirts of Hermel.

South Lebanon

Several villages in southern Lebanon are deserted, as their residents have traveled to Beirut for the funeral, local mokhtar (a local official responsible for records) told our correspondent Muntasser Abdallah.

Shops and businesses are closed in all southern villages, and in Saida, stores have also shut down.

"I passed through Haret Saida, and it was completely deserted; it felt like a lifeless city," a resident told L'OLJ.

Inside Sports City

Two hours before the ceremony begins, Hassan Nasrallah’s past speeches are being broadcast over the stadium’s loudspeakers, reports our journalist and photographer Mohammad Yassine, who describes the difficulty of moving through the massive crowd.

The audience chants familiar slogans heard at Hezbollah gatherings, such as "Labaika ya Nasrallah!" (At your command, Nasrallah!).

The surroundings of Sports City. (Credit: Nicholas Frakes / L'Orient Today)

Testimony from Sports City

A group of 34,000 people set out from Ali al-Nahri, a Shiite locality in the Zahle district, according to Ahmad, a member of the group interviewed by our journalist Zeina Antonios.

"Sayyed [Hassan Nasrallah] was my life, he was exceptional. He never made a distinction between Christians and Muslims," he says.

South Lebanon

Our correspondent in southern Lebanon reports that Israeli airstrikes targeting the areas around Qleileh and Sammaaiyeh, in the Sour region, this morning damaged houses near the targeted zones.

Bekaa

Israeli warplanes have carried out an airstrike on the village of Brissa in the outskirts of Hermel, according to our correspondent in the Bekaa, Sarah Abdallah.

Testimonies from the Sports City Stadium:

Hadi and his son Mohammad told our journalist Caroline Hayek that they traveled from the Hermel district in northern Lebanon last night to mourn.

"Sayyed [Hassan Nasrallah] is a symbol; we cannot accept his loss," the father said, adding that he is not worried about potential Israeli attacks on the event: "They are bold, but not that bold."

Credit: Mohammad Yassine / L'Orient Today

In the crowd, the black attire worn by all attendees stands in stark contrast to the yellow Hezbollah flags. Banners of the Amal movement, along with a few Lebanese, Palestinian and Iraqi flags, can also be seen.

Hezbollah's news channel, Al Manar reported yesterday that a bottle "containing the soil of Palestine" will be buried with the body of Hezbollah's former Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah at his gravesite on the old airport road in Beirut.

The channel said that this bottle contains the soil of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and was specially brought to carry the soil with which Nasrallah's body will be buried.

According to our correspondent Caroline Hayek, high-profile guests are arriving at the stadium in unregistered luxury cars, entering through the stadium parking lot.

At the helm of Hezbollah since 1992, Hassan Nasrallah is a child of war.

As the head of the only armed force widely regarded as capable of countering Israel, Nasrallah became the face of the "resistance."

A look back at the myth, as the world bids farewell to the man today. Read Stephanie Khouri's portrait here.

Credit: Nicholas Frakes/ L'Orient Today

Testimonies

Hadi, Ali and Ahmad, three members of al-Mahdi Scouts, Hezbollah’s youth organization, have been training for a month as part of a 100-member musical group. This group will lead the funeral procession, which will cover nearly three kilometers this afternoon, from Sports City to the mausoleum where Hassan Nasrallah will be buried, near Beirut airport.

Testimonies

Seated near Sports City, three women, each having lost a loved one in Israeli airstrikes and fighting, share their grief with L'OLJ over the death of Hassan Nasrallah, whom they describe as "Lebanon itself."

"The resistance continues, our children will carry on [the fight] and will be heroes!" declares one of them, who lost her brother four months ago "as a martyr."

Behind them, another woman says she feels "orphaned" since the death of the man who led the party for over 30 years.

A group of Iraqis, waving Hashd al-Shaabi flags, has just arrived near Sports City, according to our journalists on site.

Hashd al-Shaabi is an umbrella organization of multiple Iran-backed Iraqi armed factions.

South Lebanon

Following airstrikes on southern Lebanon, the Israeli army stated that it had carried out a "precision strike" on a military site in Lebanese territory, where "Hezbollah activities had been detected."

According to the army’s Arabic-speaking spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, "several Hezbollah rocket launchers, which posed a threat to Israel, were also targeted."

Iranian aircraft affair

According to Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's Media Office, Salam will receive Iranian Parliament Speaker Bagher Ghalibaf and his accompanying delegation at the Grand Serail at 7 p.m.

Ghalibaf arrived in Beirut earlier today to attend the funeral of Hezbollah's former Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and his heir apparent Hashem Safieddine.

The meeting will happen as Tehran and Beirut are in the midst of a diplomatic crisis since Lebanese authorities suspended all flights between the two countries, as Israel accused the Iranian revolutionary guards of transferring money to Hezbollah aboard civilian flights from Iran.

At Beirut airport

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has arrived in Beirut, leading a high-ranking delegation, at the general aviation terminal of Beirut international airport, according to the official National News Agency (NNA).

The families of former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, his late Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Qassem Soleimani, the senior Revolutionary Guards commander assassinated in Baghdad in January 2020, have also arrived in Beirut.

NNA did not specify where these figures arrived from, as all flights between Tehran and Beirut have been suspended for the past ten days.

Testimonies

On the avenue leading to Sports City, thousands of men and women, separated, are gathered, some sitting directly on the ground. A woman who traveled from Sour told L'OLJ that she regrets the lack of available seating, even outside the stadium.

Credit: Mohammad Yassine

In pictures

Sports City is already packed with people, more than three hours before the funeral ceremony of Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine.

Testimony

In Beirut’s southern suburbs, Elham, who traveled from Deir Qanoun al-Nahr in South Lebanon, says she "can’t believe" that Hassan Nasrallah is dead. "Until I see his coffin, I will keep thinking that he will arrive and speak to us."

Not far away, another woman, standing beside her daughter, says, "Without Sayyed, we are orphans." She adds, "I have no more hope. I really like Naim Qassem [the new party leader, ed.], but I will never be able to love him like Sayyed."

In Beirut’s southern suburbs, organizers are separating men and women on the road as they walk toward Sports City, according to our on-site journalist Caroline Hayek, reporting from Jnah.

As the funerals of former Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and his intended successor, Hashem Safieddine, take place today, our journalists are on the ground to bring you live coverage of this historic day.

Join L'Orient Today's WhatsApp group to receive our articles, analyses, and notifications.

Israeli strike on south Lebanon, Feb. 23, 2025. (Credit: Photo obtained by our correspondent Muntasser Abdallah)

South Lebanon

⚡ As crowds gather in Beirut for the funeral, the Israeli air force has carried out at least two strikes on southern Lebanon, targeting Ansar in the Nabatieh district and Zrarieh in the Saida district.

Hezbollah supporters arriving in Beirut on horseback. (Credit: Photo sent to L'OLJ)

This morning, tens of thousands of people have already gathered in Beirut’s southern suburbs, flooded with Hezbollah’s yellow flags. On the roads around Beirut, convoys of buses and cars, as well as groups of people on foot, are converging toward Sports City, where the ceremony in honor of Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine is set to begin at 1:00 p.m.

The stands of this large stadium, which has a capacity of nearly 50,000 seats, are almost full, according to footage from the al-Manar channel and reports from our correspondents inside.

Yesterday, Saturday, thousands of people arrived in Beirut for the event, many of whom gathered at the site of the airstrike that killed the Hezbollah leader, as well as near the location of his future mausoleum.

Lebanese officials are also expected to attend, though President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam — both critics of Hezbollah’s arsenal — will not be present in person.

Political and religious figures from various countries in the region are also expected.

Weakened by war, Israeli airstrikes targeting its infrastructure, losses within its ranks, the elimination of its high command and the fall of its key ally, the Syrian regime under Bashar al-Assad, Hezbollah aims to make this funeral a major public event, urging its supporters to attend in large numbers.

The funeral was postponed for several months due to the ongoing war between Hezbollah and Israel, as well as continued Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon until the cease-fire was implemented on the night of Nov. 26-27.

➡️ Read here Nemtala Edde’s analysis on the security risks surrounding the funeral.

Until the official ceremony and burial of both leaders — Nasrallah in Beirut’s southern suburbs and Safieddine in South Lebanon — the two men were temporarily buried according to the "wadi'a" principle.

This funeral also marks the farewell to Hassan Nasrallah’s successor, Hashem Safieddine, who was killed on Oct. 3, 2024, also in airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs.

He never formally took charge of the party.

Hassan Nasrallah was killed on Sept. 27, 2024, in massive airstrikes carried out by the Israeli air force on Beirut’s southern suburbs.

Dozens of missiles struck a building complex around 6:00 PM, under which a Hezbollah command center was located. Nasrallah was inside with several senior party officials and a representative of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

His death was officially announced the following afternoon.

Good morning, and welcome to our live coverage of the funeral of former Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and his designated successor, Hashem Safieddine.

We will be following the day's developments live, with reports from our on-site journalists, updates on the ceremony’s progress, and the expected speech by the new Hezbollah leader, Naim Qassem.