Zainab Nasrallah, Daughter Of Top Hezbollah Leader, Killed In Beirut Strike: Report

Zainab Nasrallah, the daughter of top Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, was reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting Hezbollah strongholds in southern Beirut on Friday.

Israeli news channel Channel 12 reported her death, but there has been no official confirmation from Hezbollah or Lebanese authorities. Zainab was known for her vocal support of Hezbollah and her family’s sacrifices. She had previously spoken about the death of her brother, Hadi, who was killed by Israeli forces in 1997, the Jerusalem Post reported.

If confirmed, Zainab’s death could have significant symbolic implications for Hezbollah and may influence the group’s response to the ongoing conflict with Israel. The airstrikes in Beirut are part of a broader escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, which has seen increased military actions following weeks of rising tensions.

Is Nasrallah Alive?

Nasrallah is believed to have been killed in the targeted IDF air strikes on the Iranian-backed outfit’s central headquarters in Beirut on Friday, according to unnamed Israeli officials. “Hard to believe he [Nasrallah] got out of it alive,” an Israeli official told JP, adding that the Hezbollah chief had been one of the targets of the deadly IDF airstrikes.

Israeli attack on Friday rocked the Lebanese capital, sending thick clouds of smoke billowing over the city. This marks the heaviest assault on Beirut in nearly a year of ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, The Times Of Israel reported. After the Beirut strike, IDF Spokesperson R.-Adm. Daniel Hagari said that they were probing the status of Nasrallah and would update soon.

The attack on Nasrallah came as the IDF increased its strikes on Hezbollah, the Iranian proxy group that has repeatedly targeted Israel. For the past year, the IDF and Hezbollah have been involved in a limited cross-border conflict, which has been happening alongside the war in Gaza.

‘Our war is with Hezbollah’

On Saturday, the IDF warned the residents of neighbourhoods in the Dahieh of Beirut to move away from Hezbollah assets and facilities. “We will continue operating to precisely dismantle Hezbollah’s offensive capabilities. Hezbollah has strategically embedded weapons in civilian areas, putting Lebanese civilians at risk in order to harm Israeli civilians. Our war is with Hezbollah, not the people of Lebanon,” the Israeli military said in a post on X.