The Iran-backed Lebanese militant group held an elaborate commemoration for its longtime leader, Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed by Israel in September.
Hezbollah put on a show of strength on Sunday with an elaborate and sprawling funeral for its assassinated leader, Hassan Nasrallah, an event the Iran-backed militant group hopes will revive its battered image in Lebanon after the latest war with Israel.
Tens of thousands of people from across Lebanon and the region flocked to the capital, Beirut, for the service, which was held at a large sports stadium on the outskirts of the city. Thousands packed into the arena, while others spilled out onto the streets, many carrying pictures of Mr. Nasrallah and waving large Hezbollah flags.
When a truck carrying Mr. Nasrallah’s coffin entered the stadium, the crowd erupted in shrieks and cries as the voice of the former Hezbollah leader — clipped from his speeches — echoed from speakers. Some people tossed scarves toward the vehicle, wiping away tears. Others chanted, “We are at your service, Nasrallah!”
The “massive crowd in Lebanon is an expression of loyalty to the resistance,” Hezbollah’s current leader, Naim Qassem, said in a video speech played in the stadium.
“The resistance endures and remains present, regardless of what you may think,” he added. “Do not mistake our patience for weakness.”
The funeral comes five months after Israel killed Mr. Nasrallah on Sept. 27, dropping 80 bombs over several minutes on his bunker just south of Beirut. In killing Mr. Nasrallah, Israel eliminated a leader who enjoyed near-mythical status among Lebanon’s Shiite Muslims and led their resistance against the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon. His death was one of the seminal moments in the confrontation between Iran’s proxies and Israel, from which Hezbollah has emerged significantly weakened.
