Hassan Nasrallah’s killing marks the end of an era for Hezbollah

The killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah sparks shift in movement, calls for disarmament amid regional tensions.

The killing of Hezbollah’s powerful leader Hassan Nasrallah has marked a fundamental shift for the Iran-backed Lebanese movement and revived calls for it to surrender its vast weapons arsenal.

“The death of Nasrallah marked the end of an era,” said analyst Sam Heller of the U.S.-based think tank Century Foundation. After decades at the helm, his death “will necessarily mark a shift for the organisation”, he added.

Nasrallah’s influence extended beyond his loyal Shiite Muslim support base in Lebanon. He was a key pillar in Iran’s “axis of resistance” against the U.S. and Israel, which includes other armed groups in the Middle East and Syria.

Israel dealt Hezbollah a seismic blow when it assassinated Nasrallah on September 27 in a huge air strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs that has thrust the movement into a new age.

Hezbollah was already mired in a year of cross-border exchanges of fire with Israel, which it began in support of its Palestinian ally Hamas after the October 7, 2023 attack.

Last month, Israel ramped up strikes on Hezbollah strongholds and sent in ground forces while killing one member of the group’s top leadership after another.

Nasrallah, who had led the group since 1992, spearheaded operations against Israel for decades and gained cult status among his supporters during the 2006 war.