Thousands gather for Hezbollah leader’s funeral as Israeli jets circle overhead

Tens of thousands of mourners gathered in Beirut’s Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium on Sunday to bid farewell to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, as Israeli warplanes flew overhead in a show of force that heightened already strained regional tensions.

The funeral, delayed for months due to security concerns following Nasrallah’s death in an Israeli strike last September, drew supporters from across Lebanon who packed the 78,000-capacity stadium. Many dressed in black, chanting “We are at your service, Nasrallah” as they gathered to honor the leader who headed the Iran-backed group for more than three decades.

The ceremony took a defiant tone as Naim Qassem, Nasrallah’s successor, addressed the crowd. “The resistance is not over, the resistance is still present and ready” to face Israel, he declared in a televised speech, rejecting what he termed “tyrant America’s” control over Lebanon.

The funeral procession included the coffin of Hashem Safieddine, Nasrallah’s chosen successor who was killed in a separate Israeli airstrike. Both coffins, draped in Hezbollah’s yellow flag and topped with black turbans, were carried through the crowd on a truck as women wailed in mourning.

Israel sends ‘clear message’ via plane flyover

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz characterized the military flyover during the ceremony as a “clear message” against those threatening Israel. The Israeli army separately announced strikes on “sites containing rocket launchers and weapons” in southern and eastern Lebanon, according to the country’s military.

The ceremony drew high-profile attendees including Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who praised the deceased leaders as “heroes of the resistance” in his address.

Security was tight, with Hezbollah deploying 25,000 members for crowd control and Lebanese authorities mobilizing 4,000 troops and security personnel. The Beirut airport closed for four hours to accommodate the funeral arrangements.

For many attendees, like 55-year-old Umm Mahdi, the funeral represented a final opportunity to honor Nasrallah. “This is the least we can do for Sayyed, who gave up everything,” she said, using an honorific title.

The funeral comes at a pivotal moment for Lebanon and the region, days after a deadline for Israeli troop withdrawal from southern Lebanon following a November 27 ceasefire that ended more than a year of hostilities. Both sides have accused each other of violating the truce, with Israel maintaining presence in five locations.

Nasrallah’s death marked the end of an era for Hezbollah, which he led since 1982. Under his leadership, the group gained prominence when Israel ended its 22-year occupation of south Lebanon in 2000. However, the organization’s recent military engagements and its support for Hamas have divided Lebanese public opinion.