LInks to Iran. LInks to Iran. He was one of the best known he was one of the best known and most InfluentIal fIgures In the MIddle East. Born In 1960, Hassan Nasrallah grew up In beIrut s Eastern Bourj Hammoud neIghbourhood. He became leader of hezbollah In 1992, at the age of 32, after hIs predecessor was assassInated. He played a Key Role In turnIng hezbollah Into a powerful polItIcal and mIlItary force. Under hIs leadershIp, he helped hezbollah TraIn Hundreds of fIghters from the palestInIan MIlItant Group hamas. And he also obtaIned mIssIles and rockets from Iran for use agaInst Israel. Lets speak to anna foster, our mIddle East Correspondent In beIrut. Talk us through exactly what we know about what happened there. ThIs Is a really crucIal moment now. Last nIght, about 6 20pm here In beIrut, we had thIs huge serIes of explosIons a few kIlometres from where I am now In dahIeh, In the Southern Suburbs, a hezbollah stronghold. We saw pIctures quIckly of absolute destructIon comIng ou
A hezbollah stronghold. The Israel Defense forces said it targeted locations including Weapons Production facilities and storage sites that, it said, were under civilian housing. Simonjones has the latest. Explosions, screaming. New strikes overnight on Southern Beirut. Israels military said it was targeting buildings storing hezbollah weapons underneath them. Hezbollah denied they were arms depots. Explosions. Earlier, a series of massive explosions. It is thought the target here was the hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. It is unclear whether he was in any of the buildings that were hit. Iran, which backs hezbollah, has called the attack a dangerous, game changing escalation. In the aftermath of the blasts, Bbc Correspondent Hugo bachega on the ground in Southern Beirut faced hostility from angry crowds. This is one of the roads leading to dahieh. We tried to get out of the car but we were stopped by a group of men. There is chaos, there is tension, we have seen crowds gathered by th
They can safely seek shelter in they can safely seek shelter in the city. Official saying that nearly 800 people have now been killed in israeli attacks since monday. That monday is that number is expected to rise. The death of the Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah was first announced by the Israeli Military and was then confirmed on hezbollah s Tv Channel in Lebanon Al Manar heres the presenter announcing the news. Translation we congratulate his eminence the Secretary General of hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah. May god have mercy on him for receiving the highest divine honour. The honour of imam hussein, peace be upon him. In achieving the highest level of faith and pure worship. A martyr on the Path Ofjerusalem and palestine. In the coming hour well be assessing what impact the killing could have on the situation here and across the Middle East. But first, our security correspondent, frank gardner, reports on this latest escalation of the conflict between israel and hezbollah. Heavy art
Hassan nasrallah had been Secretary General of hezbollah for 32 years, overseeing its growth into the worlds most heavily armed non state army. He was born in lebanon in 1960, growing up in beirut s eastern bourj hammoud district. He took over the leadership in 1992 when his predecessor was assassinated by israel. To thousands, maybe millions of Shia Muslims in lebanon and beyond, he was a hero. To israel, he was a wanted terrorist. Armed with up to the minute intelligence, the israeli Air Force targeted the underground bunker where hezbollah s leadership was meeting. This is both a major escalation and a challenge to iran. Translation this is not | the limit of our capabilities. We must be very clear, there are more tools at our disposal and the message is simple anyone who threatens the state of israel will be reached, whether in the north, the south or even a more distant places. Or even in more distant places. Hezbollah s power has been seriously weakened by the recent assassinatio