Deputy commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Abbas Nilforoushan – Photo: IRAN INTERNATIONAL
On September 28, right after the Hezbollah group in Lebanon confirmed that leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli air strike on Beirut, Iranian media reported that General Abbas Nilforoushan, deputy commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran (IRGC), died “next to Mr. Nasrallah”.
Meanwhile, Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref declared that Tel Aviv’s killing of Hezbollah leader Nasrallah in an airstrike on September 27 would lead to the “destruction” of Israel.
“We warn the leadership of the occupying regime that the unjust bloodshed, especially of Hezbollah secretary general Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah, will lead to their destruction,” Iran’s ISNA news agency quoted him as saying. Aref.
Earlier on the same day, September 28, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called on Muslims to stand with the Lebanese people and the Hezbollah group by any means in confronting Israel, Reuters news agency reported.
“The fate of this region will be decided by the resistance forces, with the Hezbollah group at the forefront,” Iranian state media quoted Khamenei as saying.
In response, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan condemned Israel’s recent attacks on Lebanon as part of what he called Israel’s “genocide, occupation and invasion” policy, and at the same time calls on the United Nations Security Council and other agencies to stop Tel Aviv.
In a post on X that did not mention the name of the Hezbollah leader, Mr. Nasrallah said that Türkiye stands with the people and government of Lebanon; and expressed condolences to those killed in Israeli attacks, saying the Muslim world should take a more “resolute” stance.
At the same time, the Russian Foreign Ministry in a statement also strongly condemned Israel’s killing of Hezbollah leader Nasralla, calling it “another political assassination”.
“This strong action has potentially more serious consequences for Lebanon and the entire Middle East,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
“The Israeli side could not help but recognize this danger, but took the step of killing Lebanese citizens, which will almost certainly cause a new outbreak of violence. Therefore, they must bear full responsibility.” responsibility for the subsequent escalation,” the ministry added.
Also on September 28, speaking before the United Nations Security Council, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi affirmed that achieving a “comprehensive ceasefire” in the Middle East should not be delayed, and the second solution An Israeli-Palestinian state remains an outlet for regional tensions.
More than 50,000 people in Lebanon fled to Syria
On September 28, the head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Filippo Grandi said more than 50,000 people in Lebanon had fled to Syria, amid an increase in Israeli airstrikes on Syrian positions. Islamic movement Hezbollah in Lebanon.
On social network X, Mr. Grandi stated that the above figure includes both Lebanese and Syrian people. Meanwhile, fighting also forced more than 200,000 people to evacuate inside Lebanon. According to Mr. Grandi, relief operations are being conducted in coordination with both governments.
According to UNHCR, the total number of people displaced from their homes in Lebanon has now reached 211,319 people, of which the number of people displaced since Israel increased air strikes on September 23 is 118,000 people.
Israel has now shifted the focus of its military campaign from Gaza to Lebanon. Lebanon’s Health Ministry estimates that cross-border fighting has escalated over the past week and has claimed more than 700 lives. Most of the victims died on September 23, considered the bloodiest day of violence since Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war.