January 5th 2025.
Last year, news emerged that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had been killed in an Israeli airstrike while he was in the group's war operations room. The incident took place on September 27, 2024, when a series of Israeli airstrikes demolished several buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, resulting in the death of Nasrallah and five others. It was reported that Nasrallah and other high-ranking officials were holding an underground meeting at the time of the attack.
Nasrallah, who had been leading Hezbollah for over three decades, was a crucial figure for the group, and his death sparked a full-blown war between Israel and the fighters. The conflict lasted for two months and caused widespread destruction in southern and eastern Lebanon before a ceasefire was brokered by the United States on November 27.
At a press conference held near the site of Nasrallah's death, top Hezbollah security official Wafiq Safa shared that the group's leader used to lead battles and wars from that very location. He stated that Nasrallah had died in the war operations room, but did not provide any further details. It was also reported that Safa himself was a target of Israeli airstrikes in central Beirut, but had escaped unharmed.
Under the terms of the ceasefire, Hezbollah was required to move its fighters, weapons, and infrastructure away from southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops were supposed to withdraw from the region within 60 days. The Lebanese army, along with United Nations peacekeepers, was set to be the only armed presence in southern Lebanon.
However, there have been concerns raised by Lebanon and Hezbollah about ongoing Israeli strikes and overflights across the country. They have also criticized Israel for failing to withdraw from all the Lebanese villages it controls, claiming that the Lebanese military has not done its part in dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure.
In a televised address on Saturday, Hezbollah's current leader Naim Kassem warned that their fighters could retaliate against Israel if their troops did not leave southern Lebanon by the end of the month. Similarly, Israel's defense minister Israel Katz also issued a warning, stating that if Hezbollah's fighters did not move north of the Litani River and their infrastructure remained intact, there would be no agreement, and Israel would take matters into its own hands to ensure the safety of its residents.
Safa also shared that Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who had negotiated the ceasefire with the US, had informed Hezbollah that the government would be meeting with US envoy Amos Hochstein soon. He stated that their position would be determined based on what transpired during the meeting. Hochstein had played a crucial role in the shuttle diplomacy efforts to reach the fragile truce.
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