Exit Hassan Nasrallah

Nasrallah's assassination reshapes Middle East dynamics, fueling militancy and escalating Israel-Hezbollah tensions.

Syed Hassan Nasrallah's killing is likely to be a game-changer for the volatile Middle East. The charismatic Hezbollah chief, who transformed his little-known resistance group to a world renowned militia and then into a political party that held sway over Lebanon, will always be remembered as a symbol of defiance for his anti-Zionist policies. He led his militia from the front and was eulogised for two of his great successes: leading a guerrilla campaign that ended Israel's 1982 occupation of southern Lebanon, and pushing back the Jewish state once again in 2006. He was an ardent follower of Iran's Islamic Revolution and that made his militia a proxy and most-hated organisation for the West and its allies. Nasrallah's extermination amid the decimation of Hezbollah is a serious setback for Tehran, after the killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh weeks ago in Iran.

Israel's offensive strategy is at the root of barbarism and genocide in the region, and taking on Hezbollah has come after the literal obliteration of Gaza. Just a week ahead of the October 7 Hamas attack anniversary, the Jewish state has pushed to the wall both Hamas and Hezbollah. With Iran keeping its finger crossed, avoiding its direct state-centric involvement, it seems Israel will go to any extent to redraw the politico-strategic map of the Middle East. The Israeli PM, just a day before flying missiles on Hezbollah leadership, had the audacity to tell the UN General Assembly that his country "had a right to continue the campaign," and he went unchecked on the heels of the pager bombings across Lebanon; subsequent aerial bombardment of Beirut that killed more than 600; and now the fait accompli casualty of the Hezbollah chief.

Nasrallah's exit will embolden militancy in the region, and Iran-backed non-state actors will rally for more jingoism. As Hezbollah's all chiefs, except one, were assassinated by Israel, it will hardly deter the militia from regrouping and striking back. The question is: will this warmongering address the pivot of brokering peace? Certainly not. It will rather push it in a quagmire of assured destruction.