Hezbollah has officially confirmed the death of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in the Israeli strike that targeted the group's underground headquarter in Beirut's southern suburb on Friday.

The organization mourned Nasrallah's passing, describing him as a figure who led Hezbollah for nearly 30 years, guiding the group "from one triumph to another."

"Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary General of Hezbollah, has joined his great, immortal martyr comrades," the group said in a statement, acknowledging his key role in shaping Hezbollah's rise and influence.

Hezbollah pledged to continue the fight against Israel, stating its commitment to support "Gaza and Palestine, and to defend Lebanon and its steadfast and honorable people."

The group also vowed to carry on the "path of jihad" against Israel in honor of Nasrallah’s legacy, ensuring that his vision and cause would not fade.

"The leadership of Hezbollah pledges to the highest, holiest, and most precious martyr in our path full of sacrifices and martyrs to continue its jihad in confronting the enemy, supporting Gaza and Palestine, and defending Lebanon and its steadfast and honourable people," the statement said. 

"You remain bound by your vow of loyalty to the cause of resistance and sacrifice, marching forward to ultimate victory," it concluded in an address to Hezbollah members. 

Born in 1960 into a poor Shiite family in Beirut, Hassan Nasrallah grew up in the Karantina district, a poor area of the Lebanese capital. After the Lebanese civil war erupted, Nasrallah joined the Amal Movement, a Shia political and paramilitary group with ties to Iran. His theological studies took him to Najaf in Iraq, one of the holiest cities for Shia Muslims, before he returned to Lebanon, where he rose through the ranks to become a commander for Amal in the Bekaa region.

Nasrallah's influence grew when he became one of the founding members of Hezbollah in 1982. The group was formed in response to Israel's invasion of Lebanon that year, with the objective of resisting Israeli forces. Over time, Nasrallah became a central figure in Hezbollah, eventually assuming the role of secretary-general after his predecessor, Sayyed Abbas Musawi, was assassinated by Israeli forces in 1992.

Under Nasrallah's leadership, Hezbollah transformed from a small resistance group into a powerful militant and political force in the region. The group, whose name translates to "Party of God," has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States. 

Nasrallah's prominence increased further during the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel, a conflict that lasted 34 days and resulted in a United Nations-brokered cease-fire. 

Iran also confirmed the death of Abbas Nilforushan, deputy commander for operations in the Revolutionary Guard, in the Beirut airstrike. 

In 2022, the US Treasury sanctioned Nilforushan for leading an organization “directly in charge of protest suppression, which has played a critical role in arresting protest leaders during previous protests.” Those sanctions came amid the monthslong protests over the death of Mahsa Amini after her arrest for allegedly not wearing her headscarf, or hijab, to the liking of police.