Thousands arrive in Beirut for Nasrallah’s funeral

Thousands of supporters have converged on Beirut to attend the funeral of Hezbollah’s long-standing leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on September 27, 2024. The funeral is scheduled for February 23, 2025, at Beirut’s main sports stadium. Nasrallah, a pivotal figure in Hezbollah for over three decades, was instrumental in shaping the group into a formidable force in the Middle East. His death, resulting from an Israeli airstrike targeting Hezbollah’s headquarters in Beirut’s southern suburbs, has been a significant blow to the organization.

In the days leading up to the funeral, flights from Iraq have been fully booked, with up to 6,000 individuals traveling to Beirut to pay their respects. Notably, American commentator Jackson Hinkle expressed his honor in attending the funeral, highlighting Nasrallah’s influence beyond the Middle East. However, Lebanese authorities revoked permission for a passenger plane from Iran, leaving several mourners stranded in Tehran and prompting protests by Hezbollah supporters in Lebanon.

The assassination of Nasrallah has escalated tensions in the region, with Lebanese citizens expressing shock and fear of potential all-out war. The airstrike not only claimed Nasrallah’s life but also caused significant destruction in Beirut, leading to mass displacement and a heightened sense of vulnerability among residents. In response to the assassination, Yemeni Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani called for the arrest of Houthi officials attending Nasrallah’s funeral, urging the Lebanese government to hand them over to Yemen’s internationally recognized authorities.