Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah has held a massive public funeral for its slain leader Hassan Nasrallah in southern Beirut, five months after he was killed in an Israeli air strike.
Tens of thousands of mourners poured into the Camille Chamoun stadium, and the neighbourhoods surrounding it on the edge of Hezbollah's Dahiyeh stronghold, to pay their respects to the former militant leader on Sunday, local time.
Many held photos of Nasrallah and were draped in the Hezbollah flag as they moved through the streets under the watch of Lebanese security forces who had shut down blocks to cope with the crowds.
Senior officials from the Iranian and Iraqi governments, along with a delegation from Yemen's Houthi rebels, were among those to attend the funeral, in a sign of Nasrallah's influence across some parts of the Arab world.
Also in the crowd were Hezbollah members maimed during the widespread pager attack orchestrated by Israel's Mossad spy agency, where thousands of the communication devices exploded simultaneously across Lebanon.
Israel makes presence known during funeral
In the hours ahead of the funeral, Israel continued air strikes across southern regions of Lebanon despite a ceasefire with Hezbollah being in place since November.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed it had hit Hezbollah weapons stockpiles.
The crowds jeered as Israeli fighter jets flew low over Beirut during the event.
Israel's defence minister posted on social media that air force planes were "circling in the skies of Beirut" above the funeral to convey a "clear message".
"Whoever threatens to destroy Israel and attacks Israel — that will be the end of him," Israel Katz said in a post on X.
"You will specialise in funerals, and we will specialise in victories."
Nasrallah's successor promises vision will be followed
Nasrallah, 64, was killed on September 27 when the Israeli air force launched a bombardment on his bunker in Dahiyeh, dropping 80 bombs on the area — six people were killed in the attack, and 91 were wounded.
His successor as Hezbollah's secretary-general, Hashem Safieddine, who was also his cousin, was killed in a separate Israeli strike days later.
Current Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem addressed the crowd from a remote location, describing Nasrallah as "a historic, exceptional, national, Arab, and Islamic leader — a symbol for the free people of the world and a beloved figure for fighters and the oppressed across the globe".
He said Hezbollah's mission would continue in his memory.
"We will complete this path even if we are all killed, we will not abandon the option of resistance," Qassem said.
One mourner, Zahraa Wehbe, was overcome with emotion as she spoke of Nasrallah.
"It's so hard to believe your father's dead, he sacrificed by his life for us and we love him so much," she told the ABC.
Another member of the crowd, Nour Harake, said others would step in to keep up the fight.
"We are all strong, girls and boys, we are all strong," she told the ABC.
"For now, he is not replaceable. But of course someone will come and continue his role — we have to be strong to continue his role."
Funeral an attempt by depleted Hezbollah to show strength
The charismatic Nasrallah transformed Hezbollah during his three decades as its chief, turning it into an influential force in the Middle East.
Backed by Iran, Hezbollah fired volleys of rockets and missiles into Israel in solidarity with Hamas in Gaza, fuelling conflict with Israel.
Following the killing of Nasrallah, the November ceasefire with Israel, and the collapse of the Assad regime in neighbouring Syria, Hezbollah's power has been significantly depleted.
But the funeral on Sunday had been an opportunity for the group to try to display a show of force, and its support in Lebanon and further afield.
