Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, killed in an Israeli strike on September 27, has been temporarily buried at a secret location, according to a source close to the Lebanese militant group, as reported by a leading newswire on Friday, October 3.
The source explained that Nasrallah’s burial will remain secret “until the circumstances allow for a public funeral.” “Nasrallah has been temporarily buried until a public funeral can be organized,” the source said, referencing the Iran-backed group’s decision.
The reason for the temporary secret burial is concern that Israel might target a large funeral gathering, the source added. A public ceremony was not feasible “due to fears of Israeli threats against both the mourners and the burial site,” the source stated.
Why Was Hezbollah Chief Hassan Nasrallah Given A Temporarily Burial?
The decision to hold a secret burial with low attendance was made by Hezbollah to avoid the risk of a further attack by Israel, which has been launching strikes across different parts of Lebanon, including central Beirut—attacked for the first time since 2006—and the Syrian border, severing Lebanon’s road links to the outside world.
Shiite Muslim traditions allow for a temporary burial when circumstances make it impossible to hold a proper funeral or bury the deceased in their preferred location.
According to reports, a Lebanese official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated that Hezbollah had attempted, through senior Lebanese officials, to secure “guarantees” from the United States that Israel would not attack a public funeral but was unsuccessful.
One week after Nasrallah’s assassination, no successor has yet been appointed. Nasrallah’s cousin, Hashem Safieddine, who is seen as a potential successor, was recently targeted by an Israeli airstrike in southern Beirut.
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