WASHINGTON − Hassan Nasrallah, the influential and polarizing leader of Hezbollah, was reported dead on Friday due to an Israeli airstrike, according to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).

In a statement on Saturday, the Israeli military confirmed that Nasrallah, “the leader of the Hezbollah terrorist group and one of its founders, was taken out by the IDF.”

“After gathering precise intelligence,” the statement indicated that aircraft “conducted a precise strike on the Central Headquarters of the Hezbollah terrorist organization, positioned underground within a residential building in the Dahieh area of Beirut.”

Hezbollah confirmed the news of Nasrallah’s death, announcing that they would persist in their struggle against Israel “to support Gaza and Palestine, and to defend Lebanon and its determined and honorable population.”

Underground Meeting Leads to Massive Explosion

The targeted attack on Israel’s major regional adversary has caused a political shockwave, prompting potential military retaliation against U.S. and Israeli targets from Iran and its allied factions in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen.

“This is a significant development,” stated Mohamad Bazzi, the director of the Kevorkian Center for Near East Studies at NYU. “This is a serious setback for Hezbollah and a hit to Iran’s influence.”

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, declared that Nasrallah’s death “will not go unpunished.”

Iranian media reported that a high-ranking member of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards was also among those killed in the assault.

Nasrallah was seen as a pivotal leader in the Middle East, commanding thousands of militants and equipped with missiles provided by Iran, Hezbollah’s chief ally. The group operates independently in southern Lebanon, where it governs a population of nearly one million without much reliance on the Lebanese government.

“The assault occurred while Hezbollah’s senior leadership was at their headquarters, plotting further attacks against Israeli citizens,” the IDF stated.

The airstrike on Dahiyeh caused a powerful tremor that resonated throughout Beirut. According to a security source in Lebanon, the sequence of enormous explosions left behind a crater over 20 feet deep, with uncertainty surrounding the number of casualties.

Addtional airstrikes targeted Dahiyeh and other regions in Lebanon the following day, resulting in massive explosions lighting up the sky, followed by further strikes early Saturday. Smoke billowed over the city.

The killing of Hezbollah’s prominent figure occurred after a series of Israeli attacks aimed at diminishing the group’s military capabilities and enabling the return of 60,000 residents in northern Israel who had evacuated due to months of rocket assaults from Lebanon.

For nearly a year, the Iran-supported militant faction has increased rocket fire into northern Israel. Tensions have escalated along this border since Hamas’s attack on October 7, which resulted in 1,200 deaths in Israel. In retaliation, Israel launched military operations in Gaza, leading to approximately 40,000 Palestinian deaths, as reported by the Hamas-affiliated Gazan Health Ministry.

U.S. officials express concern that growing tensions could escalate into a wider regional conflict in the Middle East and are working towards establishing a cease-fire.

In the past week, over 1,500 deaths have occurred in Lebanon, with more than 90,000 people displaced, adding to the 100,000 who fled since October.

A Significant Player in the ‘Axis of Resistance’

Among his supporters, Nasrallah has been praised for his defiance against Israel and the United States. To his adversaries, he was merely the head of a terrorist organization and a puppet.

Amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the Shia Islamist regime in Iran faces challenges as its influence is put to the test.

Bazzi from YSL News mentioned, “He is undoubtedly a significant figure. His charisma and oratory skills are exceptional.”

However, Bazzi pointed out that “His influence in the region has diminished since Hezbollah became involved in the Syrian civil war,” where Hezbollah’s fighters played a crucial role in sustaining Bashar al Assad’s oppressive regime.

Over the past year, especially after the outbreak of the Gaza war, Nasrallah’s regional significance has been evident. Following the fighting, Hezbollah joined in by launching attacks against Israel from southern Lebanon in solidarity with Hamas, alongside various groups from Yemen and Iraq, unified under an Iran-led coalition known as the “Axis of Resistance.”

Nasrallah declared, “We are confronted with a monumental struggle,” during an August 1 speech at the memorial for Hezbollah’s key military leader, Fuad Shukr, who lost his life in an Israeli airstrike.

Communication Disruptions and Changing Fortunes

Nevertheless, the situation shifted unfavorably for Hezbollah when numerous fighters were injured and several lost their lives due to what appeared to be an Israeli offensive on their communication systems last week.

In response to the communications attack on September 19, Nasrallah promised retaliation against Israel.

“A reckoning is imminent, though its specifics, scale, and timing will remain confidential among our closest circle,” he stated.

Since that announcement, he has not made any broadcast appearances.

Meanwhile, Israel escalated its military operations, resulting in the targeted killings of several senior Hezbollah leaders and extensive bombardments in areas controlled by the group in Lebanon, claiming hundreds of lives in the process.

On Friday, Israel reported the killing of Ali Karki, whom they identified as the commander of Hezbollah’s southern front, along with other high-ranking officials.

Iran condemned the action on Friday, accusing Israel of deploying U.S.-manufactured “bunker buster” bombs in the strikes.

‘Significant Security Failures’

Bazzi remarked, “Hezbollah has clearly experienced major security lapses, raising questions about how and why he was on the move during this time.”

“This situation is critical, potentially crippling in various respects.” He also acknowledged, “They are structured resiliently; Nasrallah himself has emphasized that the organization can persist even through leadership losses.”

Recognized even by adversaries for his compelling speaking abilities, Nasrallah’s orations attract significant attention from both supporters and critics.

Donning a black turban symbolizing his lineage as a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, Nasrallah utilizes his addresses to bolster Hezbollah’s supporters while also issuing measured threats, frequently gesturing emphatically.

He became the secretary general of Hezbollah in 1992 at the age of 35, becoming the public face of a group originally established by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in 1982 to combat Israeli troops in southern Lebanon.

His predecessor, Sayyed Abbas al-Musawi, was killed by Israel in a helicopter attack. Leading Hezbollah, Nasrallah oversaw the expulsion of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon in 2000, ending an 18-year occupation.

Hezbollah and Israel reached a stalemate during their conflict in 2006.