Israeli Army has claimed that the top leader of Lebanon militant group Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on Friday, marking a significant escalation in Israel’s military operations in Lebanon.

“Hassan Nasrallah will no longer be able to terrorize the world,” the IDF claimed on X on Saturday.

There is no word from Hezbollah. Israeli claim follows reports in Iranian media that Hassan Nasrallah was alive and safe at a secure location.

Israeli Army made the statement on Saturday noon, several hours after bombing a Beirut neighborood.

News agency AFP cited Hezbollah sources as saying that the organization had lost contact with Hassan Nasrallah since Friday evening.

Shaukat Piracha of Aaj News says although Hezbollah had not yet confirmed the reports of Hassan Nasrallah’s killing, a flurry of activities in Washington and Tehran suggested there was something to it. The United States was quick to distance itself from Israeli bombing and Iranian leadership chaired a high level meeting Friday night, he said.

Piracha said even if Nasrallah’s death is not confirmed the bombing of Hezbollah’s headquarters and death of his daughter Zainab would lead to reactions and conflict may spread.

In Israel, Narullah’s death is viewed as a substantial achievement in Israel’s ongoing efforts against hostile regional forces following Hamas’ deadly assault on October 7.

Nasrallah was in a bunker beneath Hezbollah’s main headquarters in Beirut when Israeli warplanes targeted the site, destroying six buildings and eliminating several high-ranking Hezbollah officials in a precise strike, according to Israeli claims.

“Hezbollah has over 150,000 rockets, meant to kill Israeli civilians,” the text read. “Some are strategically placed beneath civilian populations.

“We have called on Lebanese civilians in specific buildings in the Dahiya neighborhood to move away from areas being used by Hezbollah.”

This targeted attack on Dahiya was succeeded by additional bombings in Beirut early Saturday, raising concerns about a dangerous escalation in the ongoing conflict in the region.

This strike followed earlier attacks by Israel that killed three senior Hezbollah military leaders earlier in the week, resulting in over 700 deaths among soldiers and civilians.

The IDF also claimed the elimination of Muhammad Ali Ismail, commander of Hezbollah’s missile unit in southern Lebanon, along with his deputy, Hussein Ahmad Ismail, and other commanders present at the meeting.

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