Asserting that this was “yet another political assassination,” Russia’s foreign ministry declared on Saturday that it was deeply offended by Israel’s killing of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in the Lebanese capital of Beirut.
The ministry released a statement saying, “This forceful action is fraught with even greater dramatic consequences for Lebanon and the entire Middle East.”
“The Israeli side killed Lebanese citizens despite being aware of the danger, which would almost certainly lead to another round of violence. As such, it is solely to blame for the escalation that followed.”
In a devastating airstrike on Friday, Israel eliminated the longstanding leader of Hezbollah, dealing a severe blow to the heavily armed organization that Iran supports as it struggles to keep up with an increasing barrage of Israeli attacks.
After striking the group’s central command headquarters in the southern suburbs of Beirut the previous day, the Israeli military declared on Saturday that it had destroyed Nasrallah. Hezbollah confirmed his death, but provided no details.
The Russian foreign ministry demanded in a statement that Israel put an immediate end to hostilities in Lebanon.
