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| Hassan Nasrallah: Huge crowds gather for Hezbollah leader's funeral | Hassan Nasrallah: Huge crowds gather for Hezbollah leader's funeral |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| People waved flags, chanted and held portraits of Hezbollah leaders Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine during the event | People waved flags, chanted and held portraits of Hezbollah leaders Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine during the event |
| Large crowds have gathered for the funeral of Hezbollah's former leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli air strike in Beirut in September. | Large crowds have gathered for the funeral of Hezbollah's former leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli air strike in Beirut in September. |
| Mourners dressed in black flocked to a stadium on the outskirts of the Lebanese capital on Sunday. They also paid their respects to Hashem Safieddine, Nasrallah's successor, who was killed in a separate Israeli strike before he could assume his post. | Mourners dressed in black flocked to a stadium on the outskirts of the Lebanese capital on Sunday. They also paid their respects to Hashem Safieddine, Nasrallah's successor, who was killed in a separate Israeli strike before he could assume his post. |
| Nasrallah, the former leader of the Lebanese militant Shia Islamist group, was one of the most influential figures in the Middle East. | Nasrallah, the former leader of the Lebanese militant Shia Islamist group, was one of the most influential figures in the Middle East. |
| Hours before the funeral began at 13:00 local time (11:00 GMT), Israel launched air strikes in southern Lebanon targeting Hezbollah rocket launchers. | Hours before the funeral began at 13:00 local time (11:00 GMT), Israel launched air strikes in southern Lebanon targeting Hezbollah rocket launchers. |
| Nasrallah and Safieddine were both killed in Israeli air strikes last year | Nasrallah and Safieddine were both killed in Israeli air strikes last year |
| People braved the cold to attend the funeral, which was held at the 50,000-capacity Camille Chamoun Sports City stadium. | People braved the cold to attend the funeral, which was held at the 50,000-capacity Camille Chamoun Sports City stadium. |
| Nasrallah's coffin was draped in Hezbollah's flag and paraded along with Safieddine's casket through huge crowds of black-clad mourners. | Nasrallah's coffin was draped in Hezbollah's flag and paraded along with Safieddine's casket through huge crowds of black-clad mourners. |
| Excerpts of Nasrallah's speeches were played to the gathered supporters, who chanted, waved flags and held portraits of the leaders. | Excerpts of Nasrallah's speeches were played to the gathered supporters, who chanted, waved flags and held portraits of the leaders. |
| Hezbollah's current leader, Naim Qassem, addressed mourners via video link from an undisclosed location, saying Hezbollah remained "strong" and "would not submit". | |
| One mourner, 55-year-old Umm Mahdi, told the AFP news agency that the funeral was the "least we can do" for Nasrallah, "who gave up everything" for his cause. | |
| Prior to his death, he had not been seen in public for years because of fears of being assassinated by Israel. | |
| The late leader had close personal links to Iran and played a key role in turning Hezbollah into the political and military force it is today. He was revered by the group's supporters. | The late leader had close personal links to Iran and played a key role in turning Hezbollah into the political and military force it is today. He was revered by the group's supporters. |
| Under Nasrallah's 30-year leadership, Hezbollah - which is banned as a terrorist organisation in the UK, US and other countries - helped train fighters from the Palestinian armed group Hamas, as well as militias in Iraq and Yemen, and obtained missiles and rockets from Iran for use against Israel. | Under Nasrallah's 30-year leadership, Hezbollah - which is banned as a terrorist organisation in the UK, US and other countries - helped train fighters from the Palestinian armed group Hamas, as well as militias in Iraq and Yemen, and obtained missiles and rockets from Iran for use against Israel. |
| He died aged 64 in Dahieh, a closely-guarded suburb of Beirut. After Nasrallah's death, Hezbollah allowed open access to the area for the first time for a public memorial. | He died aged 64 in Dahieh, a closely-guarded suburb of Beirut. After Nasrallah's death, Hezbollah allowed open access to the area for the first time for a public memorial. |
| The killing of Hezbollah's charismatic leader dealt a heavy blow to the Iran-backed group | The killing of Hezbollah's charismatic leader dealt a heavy blow to the Iran-backed group |
| The mass funeral is an apparent show of strength for Hezbollah, which suffered a series of major setbacks during Israel's campaign in Lebanon last year. | The mass funeral is an apparent show of strength for Hezbollah, which suffered a series of major setbacks during Israel's campaign in Lebanon last year. |
| Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz wrote on X that Israeli planes were flying over the stadium while the funeral took place to "convey a clear message: whoever threatens to destroy Israel - that will be the end of them". | Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz wrote on X that Israeli planes were flying over the stadium while the funeral took place to "convey a clear message: whoever threatens to destroy Israel - that will be the end of them". |
| Israel's incursion into Lebanon came after almost a year of cross-border hostilities sparked by the war in Gaza. | Israel's incursion into Lebanon came after almost a year of cross-border hostilities sparked by the war in Gaza. |
| Lebanon was subject to an intense Israeli air campaign and a ground invasion of the country's south. | Lebanon was subject to an intense Israeli air campaign and a ground invasion of the country's south. |
| Dozens of senior figures were killed when Israeli-made walkie-talkies were detonated in a surprise attack in September 2024. | Dozens of senior figures were killed when Israeli-made walkie-talkies were detonated in a surprise attack in September 2024. |
| Many of Hezbollah's most senior military and political leaders were also killed during the latest conflict with Israel. | Many of Hezbollah's most senior military and political leaders were also killed during the latest conflict with Israel. |
| The offensive killed around 4,000 people in Lebanon - including many civilians - and led to more than 1.2 million residents being displaced before a ceasefire deal was struck in November. | The offensive killed around 4,000 people in Lebanon - including many civilians - and led to more than 1.2 million residents being displaced before a ceasefire deal was struck in November. |
| Representatives from Iran, Iraq and Yemen attended the funeral, which was delayed to allow time for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon - though some troops still remain. | Representatives from Iran, Iraq and Yemen attended the funeral, which was delayed to allow time for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon - though some troops still remain. |
| Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the slain leaders as "two heroes of the resistance" in a speech. | Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the slain leaders as "two heroes of the resistance" in a speech. |
| Many of Hezbollah's most senior military and political leaders were also killed during the conflict with Israel last year | Many of Hezbollah's most senior military and political leaders were also killed during the conflict with Israel last year |
| Representatives from Hezbollah's international allies - including officers affiliated with the Houthis - attended the funeral | Representatives from Hezbollah's international allies - including officers affiliated with the Houthis - attended the funeral |
| Nasrallah was revered by Hezbollah's supporters before his death | Nasrallah was revered by Hezbollah's supporters before his death |