Hezbollah vows to keep fighting Israel after Nasrallah killing

Vehicles drive under a huge portrait of slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, in downtown Tehran, Iran, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024.

Hezbollah vowed on Monday to keep fighting Israel and said it was ready to face any ground operation into Lebanon, after its leader was killed in an air strike that dealt the group a seismic blow.

In a televised address, the Iran-backed group's deputy chief Naim Qassem said a new leader to replace Hassan Nasrallah would be selected "at the earliest opportunity".

He also said the group was ready for any Israeli ground offensive, even though Israel's bombardment of its strongholds has in the past week killed a large number of its top commanders and officials.

Hezbollah began low-intensity cross-border strikes on Israeli troops a day after Hamas' attack on Israel on Oct. 7 that triggerred the Gaza war.

Israel said earlier this month that it was shifting its focus from Gaza to securing its northern border with Lebanon, in order to allow Israelis displaced since October to return to their homes.

It has also not ruled out a ground offensive in order to achieve its goals.

Israel's strikes on Lebanon have killed hundreds and forced hundreds of thousands more to flee their homes, and left people across the region fearful of more violence to come.

Qassem said Hezbollah would continue "confronting the Israeli enemy in support of Gaza and Palestine, in defence of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the assassinations and the killing of civilians."

Warning that any battle with Israel would be long, he said: "We will face any scenario and we are ready if Israel decides to enter by land, the resistance forces are ready for any ground confrontation."

In the meantime, Israeli...