Israel kills Nasrallah, international leaders fear escalation of conflict

Israel kills Nasrallah

The assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike has heightened tensions in the Middle East, prompting a range of international responses. U.S. officials, including President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, characterized the strike as a justified act against a terrorist responsible for violence against Americans while reaffirming support for Israel’s right to defend itself. In contrast, countries like China and Russia condemned the airstrike, calling for de-escalation and emphasizing the protection of civilian lives.

Other global leaders, including those from Germany, Canada, and the UK, stressed the need for a ceasefire and diplomatic solutions to restore stability. The situation has also drawn reactions from regional players, with leaders from Turkey, Cuba, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela expressing diverse views on the implications of Nasrallah’s death for peace in the region.

Key Concepts

• Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike, escalating Middle Eastern tensions.
• Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei announced five days of mourning and warned of dire consequences for Israel.
• U.S. President Joe Biden characterized the airstrike as an “act of justice,” reaffirming support for Israel.
• Vice President Kamala Harris labeled Nasrallah a “terrorist with American blood on his hands,” supporting Israel’s right to defend itself.
• China emphasized the importance of respecting Lebanon’s sovereignty and called for de-escalation of tensions.
• Russia condemned Israel’s military actions as a political assassination and warned of tragic consequences for the region.
• International leaders, including those from Germany, Canada, and the UK, called for a ceasefire and diplomatic solutions to restore stability.
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed significant concerns over the violence in Beirut following the conflict ignited by Hamas.
• Hamas condemned Nasrallah’s killing as a “cowardly terrorist act” and denounced Israeli aggression.
• Various countries, including Turkey and Cuba, criticized Israel’s actions while others like Argentina supported the assassination as a blow against terrorism.
• Saudi Arabia urged all parties to exercise wisdom and restraint amid escalating violence in the region.
• Venezuela expressed solidarity with Nasrallah and condemned attacks on civilian areas as a crime.

Lebanese militant group Hezbollah announced that its leader Hassan Nasrallah had been killed in an Israeli airstrike, a move world leaders warned on Saturday could have negative consequences.

Nasrallah was the most powerful figure at the center of weeks of fighting along the Israel-Lebanon border, and the leader’s death heightened fears of an all-out war in the Middle East.

Iran

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declared five days of public mourning. Iran’s First Vice President, Mohammad Reza Aref, warned Israel that Nasrallah’s death would “bring destruction to them.”

Iran has long funded and armed Hezbollah. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani posted on X that Nasrallah’s work will continue after his death. “His sacred goal will be achieved when the holy city (Jerusalem) is liberated.”

USA

U.S. President Joe Biden called Israel’s killing of Hezbollah’s Nasrallah an “act of justice” for the victims of four decades of “reign of terror,” including thousands of Americans, Israelis, and Lebanese civilians.

Biden added in the statement that Washington supports Israel’s right to defend itself against “Iran-backed terrorist groups” and that the US military’s “defensive posture” in the region will be further strengthened.

Vice President Kamala Harris said Nasrallah was a “terrorist with American blood on his hands” and said she always supported Israel’s right to defend itself from attacks, including from Iran and Iranian-backed terrorist groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis.

China

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that China is highly concerned about the relevant incidents and is deeply concerned about the escalation of tensions in the region. China opposes any violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and security, opposes and condemns any actions that harm innocent civilians, and opposes any move that exacerbates conflicts and leads to an escalation of the regional situation.

China urges the parties concerned, especially Israel, to take immediate measures to cool down the situation and prevent the conflict from further expanding or even getting out of control.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that the tense situation between Lebanon and Israel is a spillover of the Gaza conflict. The top priority is to earnestly implement the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council, quell the fighting in Gaza as soon as possible, and effectively maintain peace and stability in the Middle East.

Russia

The Russian Foreign Ministry said, “We firmly condemn the recent political assassination by Israel” and urged it to “immediately stop its military operations in Lebanon.” The Russian Foreign Ministry added that the assassination could have “tragic” consequences for the region and that Israel would “bear full responsibility.”

Germany

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told ARD television that the killing “threatens the stability of all of Lebanon” and “is in no way in the interests of Israel’s security.”

Canada

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called Nasrallah “the leader of a terrorist organization that has attacked and killed innocent civilians and caused great suffering throughout the region.”

Trudeau also called for more measures to be taken to protect civilians in the conflict, adding: “We urge calm and restraint at this critical time.”

U.K.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said on X that he had spoken to the Lebanese prime minister. “We agreed that an immediate ceasefire is urgently needed to end the bloodshed. Only a diplomatic solution can restore security and stability to the people of Lebanon and Israel,” he said.

France

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot called on Israel to “immediately cease its attacks on Lebanon” and expressed opposition to any ground operations. France also “calls on other actors, in particular Hezbollah and Iran, to refrain from any actions that could lead to further destabilization of the situation and regional conflict,” the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

United Nations

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “deeply concerned” about the dramatic escalation in Beirut.

Hamas

The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7 last year, triggering a devastating war in the Gaza Strip, and Iran-backed groups such as Hezbollah were subsequently drawn into the conflict.

Hamas called Nasrallah’s killing a “cowardly terrorist act.” “We condemn in the strongest terms this barbaric Zionist aggression and the attack on a residential building,” Hamas said in a statement.

Palestinian Authority

A statement released by the office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Abbas expressed “deep condolences” for the death of Nasrallah and the civilians who “died as a result of Israel’s brutal aggression.”

Houthi armed forces

Yemeni rebels backed by Iran, who have been firing on ships in the Red Sea in support of Hamas, said in a statement that Nasrallah’s killing “will increase the fire of sacrifice, the flame of passion, and the force of determination” against Israel. Houthi leaders vowed that Nasrallah’s death “will not be in vain.”

Türkiye

Turkey maintains diplomatic relations with Israel but has been a harsh critic of its offensive in Gaza. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Lebanon was suffering from “genocide” but did not mention Nasrallah directly.

Cuba

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel called the assassination a “cowardly assassination” on Twitter, which “seriously threatens regional and global peace and security, for which Israel bears full responsibility and the United States is an accomplice.”

Argentina

Argentine President Javier Milei retweeted his aide’s X post, which praised the assassination and wrote that Israel had eliminated one of the greatest murderers of our time, “who, along with others, were responsible for the attacks in Argentina.” “Today, the world is freer.”

Saudi Arabia

“This escalation will have a negative impact on the entire region,” Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said at the United Nations. “We call on all parties to show wisdom and restraint to avoid a real war in the region.”

Venezuela

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro expressed solidarity with Nasrallah and Lebanon. “They tried to justify the attacks, but in order to assassinate, they attacked buildings, and residential areas, killing hundreds of people. This is a crime.”