Lebanon Financial News

Lebanon killed dozens of people on Sunday as the Hezbollah militant group sustained a string of deadly blows to its command structure, including the killing of its overall leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Hezbollah confirmed Nabil Kaouk, the deputy head of the militant group's Central Council, was killed on Saturday, making him the seventh senior Hezbollah leader slain in Israeli strikes in a little over a week. They include founding members who had evaded death or detention for decades. Hezbollah had earlier confirmed that Ali Karaki, another senior commander, died in Friday's strike that killed Nasrallah. Israel says at least 20 other Hezbollah militants were killed in the strike, including two close associates of Nasrallah, one of whom was in charge of his security detail.

Pope Francis suggested Sunday that Israel's attacks in Gaza and Lebanon have been «immoral» and disproportionate, saying its military domination has gone beyond the rules of war. Francis was asked en route home from Belgium about Israel's targeted killing of one of Hezbollah's founding members, Hassan Nasrallah. Friday's strike in Beirut targeted an area greater than a city block and reduced several residential buildings to rubble, and at least six other deaths have been confirmed. Francis didn't mention Israel by name and said he was speaking in general terms. But he said that «the defense must always be proportionate to the attack.»

Read more Israel-Hezbollah War Live Updates: The body of slain Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was recovered today.According to a Reuters report quoting sources, the body was found intact with no direct wounds. The cause of death appeared to be blunt trauma from the force of the blast.Israel-Hezbollah War Live Updates: White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on Sunday that Israel's airstrikes had “wiped out" Hezbollah's command structure, but he warned the group will work quickly to rebuild it.“I think people are safer without him walking around," Kirby said of Nasrallah.

Mehbooba Mufti, questioning her 'empathy' over the killing of the top Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and termed it «crocodile tears». This came following Mufti cancelling her election campaign on Sunday for the third phase of the assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir in «solidarity with the martyrs of Lebanon and Gaza, especially Hassan Nasarullah.» The former J-K Deputy Chief Minister further questioned the PDP chief on her silence on the «attacks and killings» of Hindus in Bangladesh and said that one should speak on the «lines of humanity.»

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. BEIRUT—Hassan Nasrallah and other senior leaders of Hezbollah were under siege as they gathered Friday afternoon in a bunker more than 60 feet beneath the surface of a bustling working class neighborhood in southern Beirut. A series of Israeli attacks had killed many of the Lebanese militant group’s senior leaders, blown up its electronic devices and destroyed some of its vast arsenal of missiles.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. DUBAI—Weeks after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, the leader of Lebanese militant group Hezbollah made a thunderous speech to explain why his men are joining the fight against the “Zionist enemy." Israel was “shaking and trembling" in fear, “weaker than a spider’s web," Hassan Nasrallah said.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. THE SILENCE was deafening. By mid-afternoon on September 28th it had been almost 24 hours since Israel tried to assassinate Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hizbullah, a Lebanese Shia militia.

Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an airstrike in Beirut. Reports indicate that an Iranian mole provided Israeli authorities with critical information about his whereabouts just hours before the attack. According to the French newspaper Le Parisien, the mole informed Israeli officials that Nasrallah was at Hezbollah's underground headquarters in Beirut's southern suburbs for a meeting with top members of the organization. Around 1.30 pm IST yesterday (11 am Lebanon time), Israel Defence Forces said in a post on X, «Hassan Nasrallah will no longer be able to terrorize the world.» Later in the day, Hezbollah confirmed the news. «Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah… has joined his great, immortal martyr comrades whom he led for about 30 years,» it said in a statement. The recent airstrike is part of Israel's ongoing campaign against Hezbollah, which has been bolstered by significant intelligence efforts. A report from The New York Times highlights that Israel has devoted increased resources to gather intelligence on Hezbollah since the 2006 war, a conflict that ended without a decisive Israeli victory.

Hassan Nasrallah's location for months and decided to act last week, believing they had a brief opportunity before he moved. This decision led to an operation that saw over 80 bombs dropped within minutes, according to three senior Israeli defense officials. Early Saturday, Hezbollah operatives discovered the bodies of Nasrallah and Ali Karaki, a top Hezbollah commander. Hezbollah confirmed Nasrallah's death in the strikes. Israeli officials stated that the operation had been in planning since earlier in the week and timed with discussions of a cease-fire in Lebanon. Hashem Safieddine, Nasrallah's cousin, is a potential successor and was not at the strike site. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave the order for the strike from his hotel room in New York before his United Nations speech. Netanyahu called Nasrallah’s death “necessary” and warned, “In the coming days, we will face significant challenges.”

Palestinian state and its institutions, and prepare for a future after the war in Gaza and escalating conflict in Lebanon, Norway’s foreign minister said Friday. Espen Barth Eide told The Associated Press that “there is a growing consensus in the international community from Western countries, from Arab countries, from the Global South, that we need to establish a Palestinian Authority, a Palestinian government, a Palestinian state — and the Palestinian state has to be recognized.” Eide said many issues need to be addressed, including the security interests of Israel and the Palestinians, recognition and normalization of relations after decades of conflict and the demobilization of Hamas as a military group.

Israel has conducted extensive airstrikes against Hezbollah positions in eastern and southern Lebanon, claiming to have struck over 140 sites associated with the militant group. The strikes have reportedly resulted in the destruction of residential buildings, sending large plumes of smoke into the sky. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) asserted that their offensive led to the deaths of several Hezbollah commanders, including the group's leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Hezbollah later confirmed Nasrallah's death, marking a significant blow to the organisation. Additionally, Iran reported the death of Abbas Nilforushan, a deputy commander in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, who was also killed in the strikes.

Hamas said on Saturday it mourned Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah following his killing in an Israeli airstrike, saying his death would only fuel the fight against Israel. «Crimes and assassination by the occupation will only increase the determination and the insistence of the resistance in Palestine and Lebanon to go forward with all their might, bravery and pride on the footsteps of the martyrs...and pursue the path of resistance until victory and the dismissal of the occupation,» Hamas said in a statement. His death marks a heavy blow to Hezbollah as it reels from an escalating campaign of Israeli attacks. It is also a huge blow to Iran, given the major role he has played in the Tehran-backed regional "Axis of Resistance."

Armed men fired shots in the air and shut down shops in parts of Beirut and Hezbollah supporters said they were in a state of shock and disbelief on Saturday after the death of the Lebanese armed group's leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Hezbollah confirmed on Saturday Nasrallah had been killed, issuing a statement hours after the Israeli military said it had eliminated him in an airstrike on the group's headquarters in Beirut's southern suburbs on Friday. Nasrallah's death marked a devastating blow to Hezbollah as it reels from an intense campaign of Israeli attacks, and even as the news emerged some of the group's supporters were desperately hoping that somehow he was still alive.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut, Iranian media reported Saturday. The killing of Gen. Abbas Nilforushan marks the latest casualty suffered by Iran as the nearly yearlong Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip teeters on the edge of becoming a regional conflict. His death further ratchets up pressure on Iran to respond, even as Tehran has signalled in recent months that it wants to negotiate with the West over sanctions crushing its economy.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called on Muslims on Saturday «to stand by the people of Lebanon and the proud Hezbollah with whatever means they have and assist them in confronting the… wicked regime (of Israel)». Khamenei, in a statement after the Israeli army said it had killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, said: «The fate of this region will be determined by the forces of resistance, with Hezbollah at the forefront», state media reported. After Hezbollah confirmed Nasrallah's death, Iranian media reported that General Abbas Nilforoushan, a deputy commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, had died «next to Nasrallah» in the Israeli strikes on south Beirut on Friday.

Hezbollah group confirmed on Saturday that its leader and one of its founders, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut the previous day. A statement Saturday said Nasrallah «has joined his fellow martyrs.» Hezbollah vowed to «continue the holy war against the enemy and in support of Palestine.» Nasrallah, who led Hezbollah for more than three decades, is by far the most powerful target to be killed by Israel in weeks of intensified fighting with Hezbollah. The Israeli military said it carried out a precise airstrike on Friday while Hezbollah leadership met at their headquarters in Dahiyeh, south of Beirut.

Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah for the past 32 years, has reportedly been killed in an Israeli airstrike. His death marks a major setback for the militant group, which he led to prominence in the Middle East. Analysts believe Nasrallah’s death will weaken Hezbollah significantly and complicate the process of selecting his successor. Born in 1960 to a struggling Shiite family, Nasrallah pursued theological studies and initially became involved with the Amal movement, a Shiite political and paramilitary organization. He later helped found Hezbollah, which formally announced its creation in 1985 with an «open letter» identifying the US and Soviet Union as Islam’s main enemies. The letter also called for the «obliteration» of Israel, accusing it of occupying Muslim lands. Nasrallah was appointed Hezbollah’s secretary-general in 1992 and over the following decades built it into one of the most powerful militant organizations in the Middle East. Under his leadership, Hezbollah grew both militarily and politically, and became known for its staunch opposition to Israel and Western influence.

Netanyahu delivered a decisive address at the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, declaring that Israel would maintain its military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon. He warned that the conflict would persist until Israel achieves its strategic goals, amidst escalating international concern over the violence. This speech came as diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire have faltered, overshadowed by intensified airstrikes on Hezbollah targets. “Israel has been patient long enough,” Netanyahu stated, referencing the ongoing hostilities with Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group active in southern Lebanon. He emphasized, “As long as Hezbollah continues on the path of war, Israel has every right to defend itself and eliminate the threat.” Netanyahu further proclaimed, “If you strike us, we will strike you; there is no place in Iran where the long arm of Israel cannot reach.”

Chinese vendors from the supply chains of all forms of surveillance equipment in the aftermath of the recent coordinated pager explosions in Lebanon, multiple sources aware of the development told ET. The move is set to benefit local companies. «In light of the pager explosions, critical sourcing of certain components or parts of the supply chain will be looked at in a big way by the government,» one top industry source cited above told ET. «The government's policy on surveillance cameras is likely to come into effect on October 8. Once it comes out, all the Chinese players will be out of the picture, and Indian companies are likely to gain.» While the gazette notifications came out in March and April this year, sources said the government has accelerated its implementation and sharpened its focus on security after the Lebanon explosions. The government is set to fast-track the implementation of guidelines on CCTV cameras, which will allow players from «trusted locations» to sell in India.

Beirut, Lebanon. The attack resulted in the destruction of six buildings and left numerous casualties, marking one of the most significant military actions in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. “The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out a precise strike on the Central headquarters of the Hezbollah terror organisation… taking the necessary action to protect our people so that Israeli families can live in their homes, safely and securely,” IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari stated in a televised address following the strike. The targeted buildings in Beirut’s Harek Hreik district have long been associated with Hezbollah’s operational base. According to several media reports, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was said to have been in the area at the time of the attack, leading to widespread speculation that he was the intended target.

Iran has accused the United States of being «complicit» in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza and Lebanon, alleging that the strikes used US-supplied bunker buster bombs on residential areas in Beirut. The US has denied any prior knowledge of the attacks. Reports indicate that the Israeli airstrikes aimed at Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, significantly damaged six buildings. Communications with Nasrallah were lost following the strikes. Nonetheless, sources close to Hezbollah and Iranian news agencies report that Nasrallah is alive, with Tehran still verifying his status. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi criticized the US at the United Nations Security Council, saying, «Just this morning, the Israeli regime used several 5,000-pound bunker busters that had been gifted to them by the United States to hit residential areas in Beirut. One cannot disregard the US complicity in the crime.»