TEHRAN, February 22 (MNA) – Journalists, activists, and social media influencers have arrived in Beirut ahead of the funeral of Seyed Hassan Nasrallah, the assassinated leader of the Hezbollah resistance movement, set to take place on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.Nasrallah was martyred on September 27, 2024, in an Israeli airstrike that used American-made bunker buster bombs.
His tragic assassination triggered an outpouring of condolences on social media, underscoring his influence beyond Lebanon.
Israeli jets targeted six residential buildings in the Dahiyeh district of southern Beirut, causing widespread destruction.
Five months later, the Lebanese capital is witnessing an influx of supporters carrying Hezbollah flags and images of Nasrallah as they gather to pay their respects.
Nasrallah, who led Hezbollah during the 2006 war with Israel, was a central figure in the resistance group’s armed resistance.
His supporters from across the region have traveled to Beirut to honor his legacy.
Social Media Tributes As activists and influencers arrive, social media is filled with images documenting their journey and the destruction left by the airstrike.
Tara Reynor O’Grady, president of No Peace Without Justice, filmed the bombing site and shared her experience on X (formerly Twitter).
“In Lebanon this week to document the destruction and to lend solidarity to the people who have been internally displaced as they return to their villages,” she wrote.
“One of these above sites is where Seyed Hassan Nasrallah was martyred, with the evident use of penetrative missiles.” An X user named Sarah posted an image of the destruction with a large portrait of Nasrallah hanging from a building.
“We are in Lebanon!!! To pay our respects to the hero Seyed Hassan Nasrallah,” she wrote.
Brazilian journalist and geopolitical analyst Pepe Escobar, a columnist at The Cradle, shared a photo of three buildings in southern Beirut, each displaying an image of Nasrallah.
He captioned it: “Southern Beirut.
Nasrallah Row.” International Figures Attend Mandla Mandela, grandson of South African anti-apartheid activist and former president Nelson Mandela, was also seen in Lebanon wearing a keffiyeh.
X user Ali shared an image of him, writing, “Nelson Mandela’s grandson in Lebanon to attend the funeral of the martyr leader of the resistance.” Journalist and analyst Wessam Bahrani posted a photo standing among Hezbollah fighters, their faces covered.
In one image, he raised his finger in a gesture reminiscent of Nasrallah’s speeches.
“Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force meticulously prepares for the grand funeral of martyr Seyed Nasrallah this Sunday,” he wrote.
American political commentator and influencer Jackson Hinkle also traveled to Beirut, sharing a photo from the site of Nasrallah’s assassination.
“The site of the assassination of the martyr Seyed Hassan Nasrallah.
We should spend our taxes on fixing America, not Israeli terrorism,” he wrote, criticizing US financial support for Israel.
X user Ahmed Hassan reflected on his visit, writing, “I used to love Lebanon because of Seyed Hassan and Hezbollah.
Now I love it also because of the beauty I saw in it.” Widespread Commemoration Haz Al-Din, executive chairman of the American Communist Party, shared a photo with Hinkle, stating, “I have traveled to Lebanon to pay my respects to Seyed Hassan Nasrallah, hero of revolutionary forces and freedom-loving peoples worldwide… As the world prepares to enter a new stage of revolutionary struggle, his spirit will be more alive than ever.” International journalist and geopolitical analyst Fiorella Isabel posted images of the aftermath of Israeli strikes, announcing her attendance at the funeral.
“I’m in Lebanon for the funeral of General Hassan Nasrallah, which hundreds of thousands are expected to attend,” she wrote.
David Miller, co-host of Press TV’s Palestine Declassified, also arrived in Lebanon for the first time in over a decade.
He shared images of roadside billboards featuring Hezbollah figures, including Nasrallah and his close aide Seyed Hashem Safieddine, who was also killed in an Israeli attack.
Miller posted another image showing Hezbollah martyrs, including Fouad Shokor, Ali Karaki, and Ibrahim Akil.
The funeral is expected to draw massive crowds, with security preparations underway across Beirut.
MNA/