The death of Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, in an Israeli airstrike on September 27th, has sent shockwaves through Lebanon and the region. The incident has sparked a surge of international attention, particularly with the revelation that Nasrallah had agreed to a 21-day ceasefire proposed by the US and France just days before his death.
According to Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib, Nasrallah had “fully consented” to the ceasefire, which was part of an effort to de-escalate the ongoing tensions between Lebanon and Israel. The ceasefire agreement was proposed by US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron during the United Nations General Assembly, with other allies supporting the initiative.
Habib revealed that Nasrallah agreed to the ceasefire, and that Lebanon had informed the US and France of his decision. He stated that Israel had also agreed to the terms, as confirmed by both the US and France. The White House senior adviser Amos Hochstein was even set to travel to Lebanon to finalize the ceasefire agreement.
However, the situation dramatically shifted following Nasrallah’s assassination, which occurred in an Israeli airstrike in southern Beirut. His funeral is scheduled for Friday, October 4th.
The circumstances surrounding Nasrallah’s death remain shrouded in uncertainty, with conflicting reports surfacing regarding the cause of death. Israeli news outlet Channel 12 reported that Nasrallah may have suffocated from poisonous gases inside his secret bunker after it was demolished by Israeli bombs.
Meanwhile, medical and security personnel who recovered Nasrallah’s body suggested he died from blunt trauma due to the explosions that occurred while he was preparing for a meeting with Hezbollah leadership. The lack of visible wounds on his body further adds to the complexity of the situation.
Further complicating the narrative is a report by Reuters, citing Iranian sources, that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had warned Nasrallah about an Israeli plot to assassinate him. Khamenei reportedly urged Nasrallah to flee Lebanon days before his death, citing intelligence reports that indicated Israel had operatives within Hezbollah and was planning to eliminate him.
The report, citing a senior Iranian official, details how Khamenei sent a message with an envoy, a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander, to beseech Nasrallah to leave for Iran. The envoy was with Nasrallah in the bunker when it was hit by Israeli bombs.
Nasrallah’s death has intensified the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, with Iran accusing Israel of assassinating its ally. The incident has significantly escalated tensions in the region, casting a shadow over the already fragile peace in the Middle East. The international community is closely monitoring the situation, urging for restraint and a return to diplomacy to prevent further escalation.
