Thousands in Beirut mark first anniversary of Nasrallah's killing
Thousands of Hezbollah supporters flooded Beirut streets Saturday to mark the first anniversary of leader Hassan Nasrallah's assassination.
- World
- AFP
- Published Date: 05:53 | 27 September 2025
A year after the assassination of Hezbollah's long-time leader Hassan Nasrallah, thousands of the Iran-backed militia's supporters flooded the streets of Beirut on Saturday to commemorate the anniversary.
Men, women and children draped in black marched through the Lebanese capital toward Nasrallah's burial site, carrying portraits of the slain leader and chanting pledges of loyalty to his successor, Naim Qassem.
"We came here to tell everyone in Lebanon that Hezbollah is still strong," said Fatima, whose husband was killed in war with Israel last September.
At exactly 6 pm (1500 GMT), Hezbollah called on followers across Lebanon and abroad to stop their cars and observe a minute of silence in Nasrallah's memory.
Nasrallah was killed on September 27, 2024 in a massive Israeli airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs. Days later, his designated successor, Hashem Safieddine, was also assassinated in a similar attack.
Among the crowd at Saturday's rally were survivors of last year's pager explosions, which injured scores of Hezbollah members. Israeli media has reported that Israel orchestrated the operation.
Mohammed, who lost both his eyes, told dpa the group is still steadfast despite the setbacks.
"We lost our eyes, but our allegiance remains with the resistance and its leadership," he said.
The event drew regional dignitaries, including Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, underscoring Tehran's continuing support for Hezbollah.
Hezbollah's opponents argue the movement has been weakened militarily and politically since Nasrallah's killing, eroding its long-standing dominance over Lebanon's fractured political landscape.
"No one will ever disarm us — even in their dreams," declared Nasrallah's son, Jawad.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun marked the anniversary with a statement urging Lebanese unity under "one state, one army, and one sovereignty."
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally, called civil peace "the best weapon against the ultimate evil, Israel."
Rallies also unfolded in towns across eastern and southern Lebanon, but the largest gathering remained in Beirut's southern suburbs, the heartland of Hezbollah's support.
Men, women and children draped in black marched through the Lebanese capital toward Nasrallah's burial site, carrying portraits of the slain leader and chanting pledges of loyalty to his successor, Naim Qassem.
"We came here to tell everyone in Lebanon that Hezbollah is still strong," said Fatima, whose husband was killed in war with Israel last September.
At exactly 6 pm (1500 GMT), Hezbollah called on followers across Lebanon and abroad to stop their cars and observe a minute of silence in Nasrallah's memory.
Nasrallah was killed on September 27, 2024 in a massive Israeli airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs. Days later, his designated successor, Hashem Safieddine, was also assassinated in a similar attack.
Among the crowd at Saturday's rally were survivors of last year's pager explosions, which injured scores of Hezbollah members. Israeli media has reported that Israel orchestrated the operation.
Mohammed, who lost both his eyes, told dpa the group is still steadfast despite the setbacks.
"We lost our eyes, but our allegiance remains with the resistance and its leadership," he said.
The event drew regional dignitaries, including Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, underscoring Tehran's continuing support for Hezbollah.
Hezbollah's opponents argue the movement has been weakened militarily and politically since Nasrallah's killing, eroding its long-standing dominance over Lebanon's fractured political landscape.
"No one will ever disarm us — even in their dreams," declared Nasrallah's son, Jawad.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun marked the anniversary with a statement urging Lebanese unity under "one state, one army, and one sovereignty."
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally, called civil peace "the best weapon against the ultimate evil, Israel."
Rallies also unfolded in towns across eastern and southern Lebanon, but the largest gathering remained in Beirut's southern suburbs, the heartland of Hezbollah's support.
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