Israel announced on Saturday that it had killed Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in an airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs the previous day. If confirmed, Nasrallah's death would be a significant blow to Hezbollah and its key supporter, Iran. Nasrallah has been the group's leader for 32 years and is a central figure in the "Axis of Resistance," which promotes Iranian influence across the region.

Reuters was unable to immediately contact Hezbollah officials, and the group has not yet issued any statement regarding Nasrallah's status. The Israeli military stated that Nasrallah, along with senior Hezbollah leader Ali Karaki and other commanders, was killed in a "targeted strike" on the group's underground headquarters in Dahiyeh, a Hezbollah-dominated area in southern Beirut. The military claimed that Hezbollah’s top command was using the location to coordinate attacks on Israel.

Friday's strike, which left a crater at least 20 meters deep, shook Beirut, according to a Lebanese security source. The attack was followed by further Israeli airstrikes on Saturday, both in Dahiyeh and other parts of Lebanon, heightening concerns that the conflict could spiral out of control. This escalation has increased fears of broader regional involvement, particularly from Iran, Hezbollah’s primary backer, and the United States.

Initially, sources close to Hezbollah told Reuters that Nasrallah had survived the airstrike, and Iran’s Tasnim news agency also reported that he was unharmed. However, a senior Iranian security official indicated that Tehran was still working to confirm his status. Despite these reports, Israel continued its air campaign over Lebanon throughout Saturday.