Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, is reported to have died after being suffocated by toxic fumes inside his underground bunker, following a powerful Israeli airstrike. According to an Israeli news outlet, Nasrallah was found dead with no visible injuries, leading to speculation that he suffocated after being trapped by rubble in the aftermath of the strike.
The airstrike, which occurred on Friday, involved dropping 80 tons of bunker-busting bombs on his fortified hideout in southern Beirut. Although initial reports suggest that Nasrallah may have suffocated as the underground space filled with smoke and gases, medical officials involved in retrieving his body indicated that blunt trauma from the explosions could have been the cause of death.
Nasrallah’s death comes as part of one of the most intense Israeli bombardments in Lebanon in recent years. The decision to carry out the attack was reportedly authorized by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while he was in New York for the United Nations General Assembly.
Following Nasrallah’s death, Hezbollah’s acting leader, Naim Kassem, has vowed to seek revenge for the loss of their chief, indicating that tensions between Hezbollah and Israel may escalate further in the near future.