Huge crowds flooded the stadium to bid farewell to Nasrallah and Safieddine, killed in two massive Israeli airstrikes last year [Ibrahim Amro/AFP via Getty]
Tens of thousands of mourners flooded Lebanon’s largest stadium on Sunday to take part in the funerals of Hezbollah’s long-time secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah and his successor Hashem Safieddine, both of whom were assassinated by Israel around five months ago.
The ceremony began at around 1 pm local time (11 am GMT). It has been one of the largest events in the country’s recent history, with people attending from across Lebanon and flying into Beirut from at least 65 countries, particularly where Hezbollah enjoys significant popular support.
Thousands are said to have arrived especially from Iraq and Iran, two Shia majority countries. But a ban on flights from Iran has forced Iranians to take different routes to arrive in Lebanon, such as via Iraq.
Large crowds filled the Camille Chamoun Sports City stadium and surrounding streets as shown by drone footage, waving yellow Hezbollah and religious flags.
Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker and head of the Amal Movement, Nabih Berri, attended the funeral ceremony and represented President Joseph Aoun, while Prime Minister Nawaf Salam was represented by Labour Minister Mohammad Haidar.
Some Lebanese political parties, particularly Hezbollah’s rivals the Lebanese Forces and the Future Movement, decided not to attend.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf led an Iranian delegation of about 40 lawmakers, local media said. Iran has supported Hezbollah since the group was founded in the early 1980s.
Nasrallah and Safieddine were killed in massive Israeli airstrikes in two different suburbs south of Beirut during the war with Israel last year.
Nasrallah’s 27 September assassination ended more than three decades of his leadership of the Shia militant group, which came out significantly weakened from its war with Israel.
Safieddine, his cousin, took over as secretary-general for only a few days before being targeted; his death was confirmed weeks later.
Final farewell
The funeral ceremony opened with prayers and a speech made by a representative of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. A hearse carrying the coffins of Nasrallah and Safieddine were then brought into the stadium, as audios of some of their speeches were played and crowds cried and chanted for the slain leaders.
Weeks of preparations for the funeral saw large renovation works at the Camille Chamoun Sports City stadium, left unmaintained for years due to Lebanon’s crushing financial crisis.
Large screens were set up in and outside the stadium, and big portraits of Nasrallah and Safieddine as well as Hezbollah, Lebanon and Palestinian flags hung from the stadium’s walls.
Many attendees were already waiting outside the venue since Saturday night.
Tight security measures were in place for the event, with the Lebanese army, security forces, and Hezbollah’s security apparatus on high alert.
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem made a televised speech and was not physically present at the ceremony. He spoke about the future of his group and what he said is the “continued resistance” against Israel.
Addressing Hezbollah fighters taken captive by Israeli forces during the ground offensive in south Lebanon, Qassem said: “We will not leave you with the Zionists and we will do what we can to free you”.
Qassem said Hezbollah “will participating in building a strong state” under the constitution, adding that the group was keen on preserving national unity. “Lebanon is for all its people, and we are of these people”.
Under the US-brokered ceasefire deal, Hezbollah and all other militant groups are required to hand their weapons over to the Lebanese state, which in turn must impose its sovereignty nationwide.
Following Qassem’s speech, and at the end of ceremony, Nasrallah’s body was transported to his final resting place in Burj al-Barajneh in the southern suburbs of Beirut, accompanied by a massive procession along the airport highway. A shrine has been built for Nasrallah which people can visit.
Safieddine will be buried on Monday in his south Lebanon village of Deir Qanoun al-Nahr.
Israeli airstrikes
On Sunday, Israel carried out several airstrikes in south and east Lebanon, while Israeli warplanes were seen flying low over Beirut during the funeral ceremony.
The Israeli army claimed it struck a military site containing weapons and ammunition in southern Lebanon after attacks in the Tyre district, while airstrikes were reported in the Baalbek-Hermel districts in the eastern Beqaa region.
On Saturday night, an airstrike allegedly targeted Hezbollah weapons in the eastern village of Qousaya along the Syrian border.
It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties.
Despite the 27 November ceasefire deal, Israel has continued to carry out airstrikes in southern Lebanon and along the border with Syria, saying it will not allow Hezbollah to rebuild itself.
Israeli forces withdrew from most of south Lebanon on 18 February after an extended deadline but have maintained some troops in five strategic points along the border. The Lebanese government has called on mediators US and France to pressure Israel to end its occupation and leave these positions.
Tel Aviv has accused Lebanon of slowly implementing the ceasefire deal, saying it hasn’t deployed the Lebanese army across the south or fully disarmed Hezbollah yet. Thousands of Lebanese soldiers have already deployed in different region across south Lebanon and have reportedly confiscated dozens of Hezbollah weapon storages, but say they need more time.
Hezbollah’s supply routes through Syria have been cut off, and a Lebanese ban against Iranian flights have made it harder for the group to receive desperately needed finances.
