Hundreds of thousands of people converge in Beirut for funeral of martyred Hezbollah leaders

 

Hundreds of thousands of people attend the funeral ceremony of Hezbollah leaders Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Sayyed Hashem Safieddine at Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium in the Bir Hassan area of Beirut on February 23, 2025. (Photo by Reuters)

Massive crowds from various regions of Lebanon and around the world are converging in Beirut to attend the historic funeral procession for the martyred Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and former head of the Lebanese group’s Executive Council, Sayyed Hashem Safieddine.

Despite the chilly weather since the early morning hours, large numbers of people are making their way to Beirut, causing significant traffic congestion on major roads leading to the capital, particularly the Sidon-Beirut and Bekaa-Beirut roads.

The crowds, comprising women, children, and the elderly, are carrying pictures of the martyrs and holding banners bearing memorable quotes from Nasrallah.

Units from the army and internal security forces have been deployed to guide the surging crowds and maintain order.

The Hezbollah-affiliated al-Manar television station reported that multiple screens have been put up at Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium in the Bir Hassan area of Beirut, and to the site to enable mourners to follow up the event.

All logistical and technical preparations for the funeral ceremony have been completed.

The funeral will begin at 1:00 PM local time, starting with a Quran recitation, followed by the national anthem and Hezbollah’s anthem.

The coffins will be transported in a special vehicle, and the ceremony will conclude with a speech from Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem before the procession makes its way to the burial site.

The funeral is expected to be an exceptional event in terms of participation, as about 70 countries have confirmed their official presence through diplomatic delegations, current and former parliamentarians, ministers, and distinguished political figures.

Additionally, thousands of individuals affiliated with various political and religious parties and resistance groups have arrived in Beirut to attend the ceremony, paying their respects to the martyred leaders.

Moreover, thousands of citizens from various Arab and Muslim countries, such as Iraq, Yemen, Iran, Bahrain, Kuwait and Turkey, are participating in the funeral, which marks a turning point in the history of Lebanon and the West Asia region.

In the same context, airlines have recorded a significant increase in the number of flights heading to Beirut. 

Iraqi Airways and Middle East Airlines have increased their flights between Baghdad and Beirut this week, ahead of the funeral, as demand for tickets has surged.

The Lebanese Army and Internal Security Forces have adopted strict security measures before and during the funeral, deploying 4,000 troops for this sake.

Moreover, over 25 thousand discipline squad members are reportedly organizing the movement of the mourning crowd, and 4 thousand organizers are coordinating the event.

Four field hospitals have also been set up close to Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium, the funeral road, the burial site, and the old Beirut airport road.

In addition, more than 70 ambulances and medical teams have been deployed along the ceremony route.

Nasrallah was assassinated in Israel’s bombardment of southern Beirut on September 27, 2024. Using 85 tons of explosives, Israeli jets leveled six residential buildings in Dahiyeh, following a week-long bombing campaign that hit many areas from southern Lebanon to Beirut.

Safieddine was assassinated in an Israeli attack on October 3, 2024.

Hezbollah postponed funeral ceremonies for both leaders due to fears of Israeli attacks on the ceremony.