A statement attributed to Hezbollah media has spread on WhatsApp groups, including an obituary for the party’s Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, and announcing the start of the war with Israel. The statement reads: “A statement issued by the Islamic Resistance: In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. “Permission to fight is given to those who are being fought, because they have been wronged. And indeed, God is competent to give them victory”. In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Among the believers are men true to what they promised God. Among them is he who has fulfilled his vow, and among them is he who awaits [his chance]. And they have not changed [their commitment] in the least. The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, Hezbollah, mourns the great leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, in a brutal assassination in Beirut. With this, we announce the start of a comprehensive war with the Zionist occupation. It has no lines or excuses. “And victory comes only from God, the Almighty, the Wise.” Friday 27-9-2024 23 Rabi` al-Awwal 1446.
Kashif verified the claim and found it to be impersonal. Kashif searched the official account of Hezbollah’s media and did not find the statement published on the channel. Hezbollah’s media did not publish any comments or details about Nasrallah’s fate after the southern suburb was targeted today, until the moment of preparing the verification.
The Israeli occupation army launched extensive air strikes on Friday afternoon, 27 September 2024, targeting 6 buildings in the southern suburb. Israeli media reported that the target was Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, while Hezbollah media did not publish any statement about Hassan Nasrallah’s fate at the time.
| Sources of verification | Sources of claim |
| Hezbollah’s war media Sky News | WhatsApp groups |