Lebanon is gearing up for the funeral of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, nearly five months after he was killed in an Israeli airstrike. The country is expected to come to a standstill for several hours on Sunday, with the funeral scheduled for 1 PM local time (11:00 GMT) at the Camille Chamoun sports stadium on the outskirts of Beirut. Following the service, Nasrallah will be laid to rest at a dedicated site nearby.
First, he was laid to rest beside his son Hadi, who died fighting with Hezbollah in 1997. The Lebanese militia has taken tough security precautions, calling upon authorities to help deal with the expected crowds, expected to number tens of thousands. Supporters will travel from Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon and from around the world.
Following the incident, civil aviation authorities have said Beirut Airport is to be temporarily closed, with flights cancelled from noon until 4 PM (14:00 GMT).
Nasrallah was killed on September 27 in an Israeli airstrike while meeting with commanders in a bunker in Beirut’s southern suburbs. A revered figure among Hezbollah supporters, he led the group through decades of conflict with Israel, transforming it into a formidable military force with significant regional influence, making him one of the most notable Arab figures in recent history.
In this sense, Friday’s funeral will honor Hashem Safieddine, who briefly took over Hezbollah after Nasrallah’s assassination before being himself killed by Israeli forces. He will be buried in the south on Monday in separate ceremony.
The Carnegie Middle East Center’s Mohanad Hage Ali called the funeral a “launchpad for the next phase” and said a big attendance was a kind of proof of Hezbollah’s presence and influence.
Israel’s military actions have resulted in the deaths of thousands of Hezbollah fighters and extensive destruction in Beirut’s southern suburbs and across Lebanon during last year’s conflict.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to attend the funeral, along with several leaders of Iraqi Shia militias. To accommodate the increased demand, Iraqi Airways has added additional flights to Beirut, allowing Iraqis wishing to attend the funeral to travel more easily.
