How Beirut Reacted to Nasrallah’s Death

BEIRUT—When Israel announced that it had killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah at 11 a.m. local time on Saturday, the news was dismissed by many Lebanese as enemy propaganda.

Swaths of people had been displaced the previous night after the Israeli army, using social media, warned of further strikes on Beirut’s southern suburb of Dahiyeh as well as other nearby neighborhoods. The warnings triggered a mass exodus across Beirut, not just in Dahiyeh: People crammed into minibuses, strapped suitcases and blankets to their cars, and headed north—out of the danger zone. Those with no place to go moved into the streets, sleeping on sidewalks and in city squares in areas still deemed safe; tired children spread out on the bare concrete, with no blankets and no food, to shelter.

At 2:30 p.m., Hezbollah confirmed its leader’s death—and in Beirut, all hell broke loose.

Across the city, people ran into the streets, firing gunshots into the sky—some in celebration, others in anger, seeking revenge. The Lebanese army deployed Humvees and tanks in anticipation of potential violent demonstrations. Many wept bitterly.

The airstrike that killed Nasrallah on Friday had sent shockwaves through the city. A day later, smoke was still rising from the assassination site. According to Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad, at least 11 people were killed and 108 injured. At least 1,030 people have been killed—including 87 children—since last week’s explosions of Hezbollah pagers and walkie-talkies, Abiad added, and many are still missing.

In Beirut’s central square, people sat on the steps of Mohammad al-Amin Mosque, some crying loudly, others wiping away silent tears. Most had come from Dahiyeh, dragging bags filled with belongings, even pets. Mariam, a 38-year-old woman, said Nasrallah’s death had dealt a serious blow to Hezbollah. “All of Lebanon has been humiliated,” she said and then shouted: “This is Israel, this is the West—and they are destroying our lives.” Mariam said she wanted to share her opinion, “especially with the West,” but requested “no photos, no last name please.”

Jinan, too, didn’t want her family name published. “These days, we’re all worried. We want to stay anonymous,” she said, but still asked to share her story.

Jinan with her 1-year-old son, Ahmad, in Beirut on Sept. 28.

The 33-year-old has lost her home twice in the past week. Five days ago, she fled southern Lebanon with her three children, moving in with her sister in Dahiyeh. On Friday evening, their house was shaken by the explosion that killed Nasrallah. Hours later, the Israeli army issued a warning for their neighborhood to evacuate.

“We immediately left, and shortly after, the house next to my sister’s was targeted. Our home here in Beirut is now damaged. We can’t live there. We have nowhere to go.”

She sits on a bench overlooking the Mediterranean, her three children beside her, their car packed with a handful of belongings. Several thin mattresses are strapped to the roof.

Family members sit in Jinan’s car, loaded with belongings, in Beirut on Sept. 18.

Nasrallah’s death has profound implications not just for his supporters but for all of Lebanon. While the government has declared three days of mourning starting on Monday, the entire country has been plunged into deep uncertainty. Many of Beirut’s streets are eerily quiet, with shops closed and restaurants shuttered. Those outside are either displaced or trying to flee the city, anxiously bracing for what’s to come.

It’s difficult to determine what’s next for Hezbollah—and Lebanon—as Israel’s campaign is evidently still ongoing and its war aims and ambitions seem to be unknown, said Sam Heller, a Beirut-based fellow with Century International. It is unclear whether Israel is “trying to impose a lopsided negotiated agreement on a substantially weakened Hezbollah or if they are going to try to reduce and degrade the organization more fully or if this is potentially a prelude to the invasion and occupation of any part of Lebanon,” he added.

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While some people in Lebanon view Hezbollah as a destabilizing force due to its sectarian nature and ties to Iran, others see the organization as playing a critical role in Lebanon’s security, governance, and regional alliances. It maintains a strong resistance posture against Israel, which many view as essential for Lebanon’s stability.

“It looks like Hezbollah is going to carry on attacks at a level comparable to prior to Nasrallah’s death and this latest Israeli escalation,” Heller said. But, he added, “it is still unknown if the party truly has some reserve capacity or secret weapon.”

In a statement on Saturday, U.S. President Joe Biden said the United States “fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and any other Iranian-supported terrorist groups.”

“The strike that killed Nasrallah took place in the broader context of the conflict that began with Hamas’s massacre on October 7, 2023. Nasrallah, the next day, made the fateful decision to join hands with Hamas and open what he called a ‘northern front’ against Israel,” he added.

Displaced children from Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, sit along the Corniche seaside promenade on Sept. 28.

In Beirut, Biden’s views are far from shared. In a university dorm-turned-shelter, Ali Assi shouted angrily, “Israel is a terrorist state! All the Western countries are! They’re killing our people, bringing war to this region.” Assi, who said he wasn’t part of Hezbollah, explained that Nasrallah had been his leader anyway and that he had trusted his guidance. He described the Hezbollah chief’s death as a “tragedy.”

Assi, too, fled his home in Dahiyeh on Saturday morning. His house remains intact, but his neighborhood has been bombed indiscriminately. More than 950 people are staying at the shelter, all having fled overnight, most bringing nothing but hope for a safe return.

For now, new blasts echo throughout the city. In Dahiyeh, several apartment blocks have been reduced to rubble, smoke engulfing the neighborhood. Across Beirut, uncertainty prevails.