Hassan Nasrallah

Hassan Nasrallah, the current secretary-general of Hezbollah, was born in Bourj Hammoud, Lebanon, into a Shia family. He became the leader of Hezbollah in 1992 after his predecessor was assassinated.

In 1976, at the age of sixteen, Hassan Nasrallah traveled to Iraq and was admitted into Ayatollah al-Sadr's seminary in Najaf. Al-Sadr recognized Nasrallah's leadership qualities and referred to him as one of the followers of the Mahdi.

In 1978, Hassan Nasrallah is expelled from Iraq during a period of Shiite repression under Sunni President Saddam Hussein. He returns to Lebanon along with his mentor, Abbas Musawi, and they establish a religious school in Baalbeck, where Nasrallah teaches and studies.

After the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, Hassan Nasrallah joined Hezbollah. In 1980, he became a member of the central political office of Amal and later transitioned to Hezbollah.

In 1982, after Israel's invasion of Lebanon, Hassan Nasrallah defected from Amal along with other Islamists in response to Nabih Berri's alliance with Christian parties. They formed Islamic Amal, which later merged with other groups to form Hezbollah under IRGC guidance.

In a circa 1988 speech, Hassan Nasrallah expressed the goal of establishing an Islamic state that would be part of the Greater Islamic Republic led by the Mahdi and Imam Khomeini.

In 1991, Hassan Nasrallah replaced Abbas al-Musawi as the leader of Hezbollah after Musawi was killed by an Israeli airstrike. Nasrallah's leadership marked a significant period of growth and strategic advancements for Hezbollah.

In February 1992, Hassan Nasrallah emerged as a new leader of Hezbollah, being perceived as remarkably youthful by many.

Nasrallah's eldest son, Muhammad Hadi, was among four Hezbollah fighters killed in an Israeli ambush in 1997. Nasrallah expressed pride in his son's martyrdom and defiance towards Israel's attempts to exchange his son's body for Israeli soldiers' remains.

On July 12, 2006, Hezbollah militants crossed the border into Israel and captured two soldiers, leading to a 34-day conflict between Hezbollah and Israel.

During the 2006 Lebanon War, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah threatened to strike Tel Aviv in retaliation for Israel's bombardment of Beirut, stating that Hezbollah forces were inflicting heavy casualties on Israeli ground troops.

In a TV interview on Lebanon's New TV station, Nasrallah expressed regret over ordering the capture of two Israeli soldiers, stating that he would not have done so if he had known it would lead to a large-scale war. He believed the war was pre-planned and the capture was just an excuse to start it.

On September 22, 2006, Hassan Nasrallah made his first public appearance since the conflict in July, addressing a massive crowd at a rally in Beirut.

Hassan Nasrallah urges peaceful protests on television to demand the resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and the formation of a national unity government. Subsequently, over 200,000 protesters assemble in Beirut.

On 25 October 2008, Nasrallah denied the alleged assassination attempt, accusing Israelis and Americans of fabricating the story as part of a psychological war against Hezbollah. He refuted the claims in an interview with the Hezbollah-owned Al-Manar channel.

During the reading of the party's new political manifesto, Hassan Nasrallah emphasized that their issue with Israelis is not their religion but their occupation of Lebanese land and holy sites.

In 2011, Hezbollah leader Nasrallah confirmed and justified the group's material support for the Syrian government in its civil war, framing rebel groups as an existential threat to his constituents.

Hassan Nasrallah criticized the American administration, comparing their behavior to Satanism and accusing them of mistreating holy books and prophets. He also condemned the Israeli and Jewish behavior towards sanctities, referencing the Quran burning incident in Afghanistan.

Following rocket strikes towards Israel's border, Hassan Nasrallah announced Hezbollah's intention to target Israeli drones in Lebanese airspace and declared there were 'no more red lines' in their fight against Israel.

Nasrallah announced Hezbollah's participation in the Syrian civil war against 'Islamist extremists' to prevent them from controlling areas bordering Lebanon. He confirmed Hezbollah's presence in the town of Qusair, supporting the Syrian army against common enemies.

Hassan Nasrallah makes a rare public appearance and declares that Hezbollah will continue to support Assad's regime in Syria until victory in the civil war.

The Battle of Aleppo, which began on July 19, 2012, concludes with a victory for Assad, Hezbollah, and allied forces. This marks a significant turning point in the Syrian conflict.

Hassan Nasrallah gives a speech on the ongoing negotiations with Nusra Front, stating that serious talks for a ceasefire had just begun. He also mentions plans to hand over the area to the Lebanese Army after expelling Nusra.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah delivers a speech urging the Lebanese government to coordinate the repatriation of Syrian refugees with the Assad regime, aiming to restore political ties between Beirut and Damascus. Nasrallah also mentions Hezbollah's role in fighting ISIS and announces plans to open a front against ISIS in Syria.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah speaks about the ongoing operations against ISIS, claiming credit for the battle in both Lebanese and Syrian dimensions. The operations include advances against ISIS in the Ras al-Shahout crossing area on the Syrian-Lebanese border.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah gives a speech commemorating the one-week anniversary of the death of commander Ali Hadi al-Asheq, detailing his career with Hezbollah. Nasrallah discusses the eradication of ISIS, accuses the United States of supporting the group, and addresses U.S. financial sanctions on Lebanon.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah responds ambiguously to Netanyahu's claims about missile production sites in Beirut, stating 'we should not help the enemy in its psychological war.'

Nasrallah vows retaliation against U.S. forces in the region after the death of Qassem Soleimani.

Iran warns Nasrallah of potential U.S. threat following the killing of Qassem Soleimani.

Moroccan authorities arrest Qassem Tajideen, one of Hezbollah’s top financiers, who was later extradited to the United States. This arrest disrupts Hezbollah's financial network and operations.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah announces the withdrawal of Hezbollah forces from positions on the Syrian-Lebanese border and their handover to the Lebanese Army. This move signifies a shift in Hezbollah's military presence in the region.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah introduces a new 'equation' stating that any Israeli 'attack' on Jerusalem would trigger a regional war with the Resistance Axis, following recent hostilities.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah announces the logistical preparations to import Iranian-supplied fuel into Lebanon to alleviate the country's energy shortages.

Hamas’ Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah meet in Beirut to discuss the recent clash between Israel and Gaza-based Palestinian militant groups, exploring ways to learn from the conflict.

Hezbollah's Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah hosts Hamas counterpart Ismail Haniyeh in Lebanon after 27 years to discuss their joint response to Arab-Israeli normalization.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah states that if Israel attacks Iran, his group will consider whether to retaliate against Israel.

Hezbollah's Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, declared triumph in Syria, stating that only minor skirmishes remained to be resolved.

Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, credited the joint efforts of Hezbollah, Syria, Iran, and Iraq for thwarting ISIS in the region during a speech on the third night of Ashoura.

Hezbollah leader Nasrallah cautioned against internal conflicts in Lebanon and urged Syrian refugees to return home. He also expressed concerns about US involvement in regional conflicts and criticized Kurdish independence aspirations.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah made his first public comments in Lebanon since the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas. His speech is expected to shed light on Hezbollah's future role in the Middle East conflict.

Hassan Nasrallah, chief of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, stated that he did not intend to launch a large-scale attack at the moment due to concerns about the escalation of war. Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned the logistical challenges of any potential pause in fighting.