Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Hezbollah has been reportedly killed by Israeli forces in its strike against central headquarters of Hezbollah in Beirut’s Dahieh.
Who Was Hassan Nasrallah?
Hassan Nasrallah, top leader of Hezbollah headed the organisation for almost three decades. He was born in 1960 into a Shiite family and lived in neighbourhood of Beirut. He came from a struggling family. His father was a vegetable seller and he was one of nine siblings
Nasrallah attended the al-Najah school and a public school in the principally Christian neighborhood of Sin el Fil Beirut. He is married to Fatima Yasin and had four children with her.
How Nasrallah Grew Into Power?
He studied Theology and joined Amal movement in Lebanon before coming out as one of the founders of Hezbollah. He joined Hezbollah after 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon.
He took the command of Hezbollah in 1992 after Hezbollah’s leader Musawi died in an Israeli strike. He is known for transforming Hezbollah into a deadly organisation.
He also served as the secretary general of Hezbollah.
Under Nasrallah’s leadership Hezbollah played an important role in war of attrition which resulted in withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern parts of Lebanon in 2000, ending years of Israel’s occupation of the region. He is widely credited for this and it helped him in rising to stature where he was accepted as a supreme leader by all. Hezbollah acquired long-rockets under his superintendence. The organisation was declared as ‘terrorist organisation’ by US and other countries under Nasrallah’s tenure.
Later in 2006, again under his leadership, Hezbollah occupied Israel in 34-day conflict which was a stalemate but Hezbollah described it as a ‘divine victory’.
He is also known for his support to Palestinian cause. During Israel-Hamas conflict, Hezbollah launched attacks against Israeli military posts along the border.
“We are here paying the price for our front of support for Gaza, and for adoption of the Palestinian cause,” Nasrallah said.
