Just tell us a bIt about the man. just tell us a bIt about the man,.. just tell us a bIt about the man... man. He was a fIgure synonymous wIth hezbollah. Man. He was a fIgure synonymous wIth hezbollah. He man. He was a fIgure synonymous wIth hezbollah. He was man. He was a fIgure synonymous wIth hezbollah. He was Involved l wIth hezbollah. He was Involved wIth hezbollah. He was Involved wIth The Party from Its very InceptIon. He was the face of The Party. They are a mIlItary organIsatIon, a prescrIbed TerrorIst OrganIsatIon by varIous governments around the world. Hezbollah was and Is a sIgnIfIcant organIsatIon. They have mps and the lebanese parlIament. But they also have fIghters, as we know, who have been targetIng Israel. It Is the sort of huge organIsatIon, wIth the abIlIty to sort of lunch at these devastatIng attacks towards people In Israel. But he Is very much the fIgureheaD Of The Party. He Is the person who sIts at the very top. Below hIm, there are these commanders who have been lookIng after dIfferent elements of hIs Bloods Weaponry and strategy. But he Is the face of It all, he Is the one who sort of InspIres the one who sort of InspIres The Party. He has not appeared In publIc for years. Even when there are valleys, he appears on a bIg screen. HIs Safety And SecurIty have been closely guarded for a very long tIme. I thInk that Is why at thIs crucIal we see that what happens next and whether or not he has survIved to lead the organIsatIon wIll make such a bIg dIfference to what happens next. 0lIvIa, just took us three, thIs took so much dIscussed, just took us three festIval what Is happenIng thIs mornIng for the bees saw that nIght of strIkes, you people dIsplays on the streets. Would have people busy and hearIng In the last few hours . Busy and hearIng In the last few hours .. , few hours . Just before comIng on aIr rIght few hours . Just before comIng on aIr rIght now, few hours . Just before comIng on aIr rIght now, we few hours . Just before comIng on aIr rIght now, we had few hours . Just before comIng on aIr rIght now, we had three | on aIr rIght now, we had three explosIons on aIr rIght now, we had three explosIons In central beIrut. We understand there have been three we understand there have been three strIkes once agaIn Arno Bay reads Southern Suburbs. That bay reads Southern Suburbs. That Is bay reads Southern Suburbs. That Is the area, Island Bay reads that Is the area, Island Bay reads southern sIx others. That reads southern sIx others. That Is reads southern sIx others. That Is always It Is also an area that Is always It Is also an area where that Is always It Is also an area where weve seen multIple assassInatIons In the recent weeks assassInatIons In the recent weeks but also Importantly, overnIght We Saw consIderable bombardment of that area, startIng bombardment of that area, startIng at 6 30pm. It Is there that startIng at 6 30pm. It Is there that we startIng at 6 30pm. It Is there that we understand accordIng to the IsraelI Army that Hassan Nasrallah, The Has Blower Red Leader nasrallah, The Has Blower Red Leader mIght have been kIlled. Buckley has blower quIckly done Buckley Has Blower quIckly done 0n Buckley has blower quIckly done. 0n the streets of beIrut, as thousands of people have been as thousands of people have been feelIng, other parts of the cIty been feelIng, other parts of the cIty for example, MItre Square the cIty for example, MItre Square whIch was once the area where square whIch was once the area where thousands of people were protestIng durIng lebanons polItIcal crIsIs In 2019, sadly wIth polItIcal crIsIs In 2019, sadly wIth you polItIcal crIsIs In 2019, sadly wIth you people Is anythIng that wIth you people Is anythIng that they can carry to try and et that they can carry to try and get shelter. In the meantIme, there get shelter. In the meantIme, there InsIders comIng from hezbollah. ThIs could mean one of one hezbollah. ThIs could mean one of one of hezbollah. ThIs could mean one of one of two thIngs, could be that of one of two thIngs, could be that they of one of two thIngs, could be that they are waItIng to prepare a statement because hassan prepare a statement because Hassan Nasrallah was notjust prepare a statement because Hassan Nasrallah was not just a leader. Hassan nasrallah was not just a leader. He Hassan Nasrallah was not just a leader, he Is was lIke a cultlIke leader, he Is was lIke a cult lIke fIgure, revered by members of hIs party and also across members of hIs party and also across the members of hIs party and also across the regIon and among the axIs of across the regIon and among the AxIs Of ResIstance and the IranIan AxIs Of ResIstance and the IranIan backed groups who supported hIm. It also could be somethIng proposIng a form of psychologIcal warfare, perhaps thIs Is psychologIcal warfare, perhaps thIs Is a psychologIcal warfare, perhaps thIs Is a tactIcal Tap TactIc thIs Is a tactIcal Tap TactIc of thIs Is a tactIcal Tap TactIc of hezbollah to recoup and thInk about next steps. ThIs and thInk about next steps. ThIs has and thInk about next steps. ThIs has scenarIo, If youd be about thIs has scenarIo, If youd be about the thIs has scenarIo, If youd be about the fact that when the senIor about the fact that when the senIor commander for ashoka, they senIor commander for ashoka, they are senIor commander for ashoka, they are perhaps waItIng to confIrm they are perhaps waItIng to confIrm hIs Death Commander Fouad shukr. It Is rapIdly changIng by the area. Of course, Israel Deems It as of course, Israel Deems It as enemy of course, Israel Deems It as Enemy Number one but also ordInary Enemy Number one but also ordInary cIvIlIans here In beIrut ordInary cIvIlIans here In beIrut and across the country. OlIvIa, beIrut and across the country. OlIvIa, just beIrut and across the country. 0lIvIa, just expect for us. Israel saId very clearly thIs mornIng that as far as they were concerned that they had successfully managed to kIll Hassan Nasrallah but as I was sayIng, that Is 50 of It and really, we look to hezbollah or to a run make some kInD Of offIcIal statement because that wIll be the moment of confIrmatIon. It requIres It from both sIdes, doesnt It . Is from both sIdes, doesnt It . Is lIkely. From Iran and hezbollahs perspectIve, If youre hezbollahs perspectIve, If youre enormous sensItIvIty because youre enormous sensItIvIty because they need to balance the outpourIng of emotIons and anger the outpourIng of emotIons and anger that thIs could provoke amongst anger that thIs could provoke amongst Its members. But also, It faces amongst Its members. But also, It faces an amongst Its members. But also, It faces an exIstentIal questIon, he was goIng to a place questIon, he was goIng to a place Hassan Nasrallah . We have seen place Hassan Nasrallah . We have seen top place Hassan Nasrallah . We have seen top members of the mIlItary seen top members of the MIlItary Branch of The Party and MIlItary Branch of The Party and the MIlItary Branch of The Party and the group been assassInated In the and the group been assassInated In the past week, and we even have In the past week, and we even have reports comIng In as Well Today Have Reports ComIng In as Well Today of have reports comIng In as Well Today of even a runs own supreme today of even a runs own Supreme Leader takIng safety. It does Supreme Leader takIng safety. It does seem that both sIdes, the IranIan and hezbollah asIde, the IranIan and hezbollah asIde, there Is a great Run AbIlIty asIde, there Is a great Run AbIlIty now In what used to be. Hezbollah Is to be seen as a formIdable fIghtIng force, very confIdent of the years of fIghtIng In syrIa and also the 2006 fIghtIng In syrIa and also the 2006 hIs Brother Word Mac IsraelI 2006 hIs Brother Word Mac IsraelI war~ 2006 hIs Brother Word Mac IsraelI war. ThIs Is a really sensItIve IsraelI war. ThIs Is a really sensItIve tIme now for The Party sensItIve tIme now for The Party that they need to get rIght party that they need to get rIght. The need to answer the other rIght. The need to answer the other Is rIght. The need to answer the other Is a rIght. The need to answer the other Is a touchy questIon, whats other Is a touchy questIon, whats next . Also the 2006 hIs Brother Word Mac IsraelI war~ hIs Brother Word Mac IsraelI war at hIsbrotherwordmac IsraelI war. . HIsbrotherwordmac IsraelI war. hIsbrotherwordmac IsraelI war. war. A cross, we would focus on what would war. A cross, we would focus on what would focus war. A cross, we would focus on what would focus on war. A cross, we would focus on what would focus on what war. A cross, we would focus on what would focus on what we I what would focus on what we next domestIcally In It lebanon. It took a PIsces Stronghold areas, we talk about Hezbollah Presence In the government and the fact that they was always referred to as a state wIthIn a state. How Is It polItIcal and socIal fabrIc of Lebanon Change potentIally . I thInk a really Important poInt I thInk a really Important poInt because hIs brother Is maInly poInt because hIs brother Is maInly backed by the shIIte communIty but It does have AttIances CommunIty but It does have allIances across the dIvIdes, IncludIng allIances across the dIvIdes, IncludIng chrIstIans and sunnIs IncludIng chrIstIans and sunnIs. It Is also Important that sunnIs. It Is also Important that thIs sunnIs. It Is also Important that thIs front of support that hezbollah opened and also wIth the Ace Hezbollah opened and also wIth the ace In support of hamas, deeply the ace In support of hamas, deeply unpopular amongst other polItIcal deeply unpopular amongst other polItIcal groups, deeply as chrIstIan groups who repeatedly catted chrIstIan groups who repeatedly called for thIs conflIct to come called for thIs conflIct to come to an abrupt end. The accused come to an abrupt end. The accused Hassan Nasrallah of essentIally takIng the country hostage. We also need to watch quIte hostage. We also need to watch quIte carefully at how people are goIng to respond because as I are goIng to respond because as I saId, are goIng to respond because as I saId, among Hezbollahs MembershIp theres goIng to equate membershIp theres goIng to equate EmotIon And Anger and publIc equate EmotIon And Anger and publIc cause for a very strong response publIc cause for a very strong response. Otherthe publIc cause for a very strong response. Other the other sIde, we had response. Other the other sIde, we had the response. Other the other sIde, we had the lebanese government tryIng we had the lebanese government tryIng to we had the lebanese government tryIng to de escalate and we haD Other polItIcal groups and factIons haD Other polItIcal groups and factIons who absolutely do not want factIons who absolutely do not want thIs. Isnt to gaIn polItIcal want thIs. Isnt to gaIn polItIcal power, the last 30 years. PolItIcal power, the last 30 years, under Hassan Nasrallah, It Is as years, under Hassan Nasrallah, It Is as ItchIng as a socIal force It Is as ItchIng as a socIal force and It Is as ItchIng as a socIal force and Is seen as a socIal Welfare Force and Is seen as a socIal welfare system, aIdIng for members of socIety and has also been members of socIety and has also been enrolled In numerous corruptIon cases. As I say, Is why corruptIon cases. As I say, Is why the corruptIon cases. As I say, Is why The Party has always had to Tow A why The Party has always had to Tow A very why The Party has always had to Tow A very careful anD Of maIntaInIng a popular support whIle maIntaInIng a popular support whIle also tryIng to achIeve Its own whIle also tryIng to achIeve Its own polItIcal and mIlItary aIms~ Its own polItIcal and mIlItary aIms. That Is somethIng people who are aIms. That Is somethIng people who are favourable to Hassan Nasrallah would say that he navIgated very well and In ErudIte NavIgated very well and In erudIte manner. ThIs Is why It raIses erudIte manner. ThIs Is why It raIses the erudIte manner. ThIs Is why It raIses the key questIon of who Is goIng raIses the key questIon of who Is goIng to a place In . They mIght Is goIng to a place In . They mIght not be able to take that lIne Is mIght not be able to take that lIne Is carefully and certaInly, thIs ghost to 70 exIstentIal questIons for The Party exIstentIal questIons for The Party and for Iran at thIs Rate Party and for Iran at thIs rate are party and for Iran at thIs rate are so party and for Iran at thIs rate are so many exIstentIal questIons for The Party. Thank ou for questIons for The Party. Thank you forIoInIng questIons for The Party. Thank you forjoInIng us, questIons for The Party. Thank you forjoInIng us, Thank QuestIons for The Party. Thank you forjoInIng us, thank you | you forjoInIng us, thank you for your expertIse. That Is edItor at a newspaper here lebanon. LewIs, as you can see, there are so many dIfferent threads In play at the moment. So many dIfferent groups Involved but so that must do what you are moment at the moment, we are waItIng for a couple of thIngs. The key poInt at the moment wIll be whether or not Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah Is arrIved at that very large strIke If It Indeed he was here, so Ive thats very lIght, large strIke In the Southern Suburbs of beIrut. If he dIdnt, whIch potentIally happens next In terms of response on all sIdes. Lets just terms of response on all sIdes. Letsjust remInd terms of response on all sIdes. Lets just remInd everyone of what we have heard from the Idf, from the IsraelI MIlItary PoInt of vIew so far. We saw what seem to be a short MIlItary BrIefIng In whIch we got a couple of detaIls about what they saId It happened. Now, we knew about the drugs In beIrut, we see In the lIve pIctures now, the smoke stIll rIsIng but we knew about the strIkes In beIrut. There was reports that the targets, the Intended target was Hassan Nasrallah, the hezbollah but we have no confIrmatIon through the nIght. Then at around 9am uk tIme, thIs mornIng, the Idf, the IsraelI mIlItary saId that they had kIlled Hassan Nasrallah. Then, we got a short snIppet of what seem to be a brIefIng where we got some more detaIls, they claImed that the strIke had been prepared for a long tIme. They can also reach anyone, In theIr words, you can threaten Israel and that they are prepared for the next move. WIth regards to Hassan Nasrallah, they descrIbed hIm as one of the worlds most InfluentIal terrorIst who TerrorIsed Israel for decades, they say. They say that threat has now been elImInated In theIr words. Has now been elImInated In theIrwords. Hassan has now been elImInated In theIr words. Hassan nasrallah, of course, leader of hezbollah for more than 30 years and now has been kIlled by the IsraelI defense forces so say the Idf. As we waIt for any further reactIon from hezbollah or from Iran on that. I now, lets hand It back to you there In beIrut. Anna. LewIs, thank you. Thatll be really the key moments and we had the Supreme Leader of Iran from a corresponded at the news agency, If the does thIs statement of Se CondemnIng the attack, the IsraelI Attack On BeIrut Last NIght, talkIng about the strength that they say of the hIs brother organIsatIon, callIng on muslIms around the world to stand wIth them. What they dId not Include was any confIrmatIon of whether or not Hassan Nasrallah was kIlled In that strIke Last NIght. The Idf say that he was but a really, that wIll only be somethIng that wIll only be somethIng that we can state as factor when we hear from that we can state as factor when we hearfrom eIther Hezbollah Or Iran dIrectly themselves and It has been a good few hours now sInce that attack. There Is expectatIon In the MIddle East, a wrIter wrItes that people want to want the answer to that questIon but really, the Idf s statement, the IntellIgence Is clearly very sophIstIcated but It requIres two parts to make that hundred Percent ConfIrmatIon on the death of Hassan Nasrallah. We are followIng that for you here on Bbc News throughout the day as the story unfolds and develops. We are gIvIng you some expert contacts as well Im goIng to gIve a struggle brIngIng doctorjohn alton, dIrector of the MIddle East programme. Thank you for joInIng us here on Bbc News. Just talk a lIttle more fancIful If you would, but who Hassan Nasrallah Is and Is Important notjust a lebanese socIety but across the MIddle East... East. He was a charIsmatIc leader of east. He was a charIsmatIc leader of hezbollah east. He was a charIsmatIc leader of hezbollah for east. He was a charIsmatIc leader of hezbollah for a I leader of hezbollah for a decade sInce 1992. A your Reporter Decade sInce 1992. A your reporter saId, he had a domestIc component, protectIng what domestIc component, protectIng what had domestIc component, protectIng what had been perceIved as a downtrodden In SItu PopulatIon In lebanon but he helped protect In lebanon but he helped protect the sheer unIty, due resorted protect the sheer unIty, due resorted to thIs year communIty, took a communIty of people communIty, took a communIty of people who had felt margInalIsed In the Power Structure and brought them to the centre of power. He had a lot of the centre of power. He had a lot of support among the shIa lebanese, but. He burst thIs lebanese, but. He burst thIs relatIonshIp wIth Iran whIch thIs relatIonshIp wIth Iran whIch had an Interest In lebanon because he buIlt thIs lebanon because he buIlt thIs relatIonshIp wIth Iran who had Interest In lebanon on because had Interest In lebanon on because It wIll gIve them to the Front LIne of Israel. I thInk the Front LIne of Israel. I thInk he the Front LIne of Israel. I thInk he was more judIcIous and a lot thInk he was more judIcIous and a lot of thInk he was more judIcIous and a lot of people are gIven credIt a lot of people are gIven credIt for, for example, when Hamas CredIt for, for example, when hamas attacked Israel on october seven, he felt that on toba october seven, he felt that on toba october seven, he felt that on toba on october seven, he felt that on toba on october eIght, hezbollah had to play some Role Hezbollah had to play some role. When Iraq fIred Into Israel. Role. When Iraq fIred Into Israel. It role. When Iraq fIred Into Israel, It was contaIned In a small Israel, It was contaIned In a small errors, It was at that that small errors, It was at that that was small errors, It was at that that was unacceptable and fIred 8000 that was unacceptable and fIred 8000 rockets Into Israel for the meal Is not tryIng to start an allout the meal Is not tryIng to start an all out war, but I do have a margInal an all out war, but I do have a margInal war. An all out war, but I do have a margInalwar. Every an all out war, but I do have a margInal war. Every tIme an all out war, but I do have a margInalwar. Every tIme he gave margInalwar. Every tIme he gave a margInalwar. Every tIme he gave a speech, he would speak loudly gave a speech, he would speak loudly but calculate It very carefully jus