Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been transferred to a secure location within the country following the killing of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike.
Two regional officials, briefed by Tehran, informed Reuters that heightened security measures have been put in place for Khamenei.
According to sources, Iran is in constant communication with Hezbollah and other allied proxy groups in the region to decide on the next course of action.
This follows Israel’s announcement that it had successfully targeted and killed Nasrallah in a Friday airstrike on southern Beirut.
Hezbollah acknowledged Nasrallah’s death in a statement issued on Saturday, reaffirming the group’s ongoing battle against Israel in support of Gaza, Palestine, and the defense of Lebanon. “Our fight in defense of Lebanon and its steadfast and honourable people continues,” the statement read.
Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) had earlier reported that Nasrallah was killed in a large-scale airstrike on Hezbollah’s headquarters in Beirut.
The force of the blast was so intense that shockwaves were felt as far as 18 miles away.
Following the news, Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV began broadcasting Koran verses, further confirming the loss of its leader.
“An overall intensification of air strikes and degradation in the security situation has been noted, impacting the safety of airspace over Israel and Lebanon,” the IDF said in a statement on Saturday, as cited by AFP.
In light of the escalating conflict, the European Commission and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued warnings to airlines, advising them to avoid flying over Lebanese and Israeli airspace for the coming month, as missile exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah continue to intensify.
