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Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s leader for over three decades, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Lebanese capital over the weekend, triggering jubilant scenes in Israel, widespread outrage among the group’s allies in the Middle East, and speculation over who will be the next leader of the armed group, NPR reported.

The Iran-backed group confirmed Nasrallah’s death, mourning him as a “great martyr” and “heroic leader” after the Israeli strike targeted his main headquarters beneath a residential building in Dahiyeh, Beirut.

Israel’s military claimed the strike also killed Hezbollah’s acting deputy, Ali Karki, and other commanders involved in planning future attacks against Israel.

Meanwhile, Iranian media reported that Brig. Gen. Abbas Nilforoushan, an operational leader of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, was killed in the same strike. His death could have wider regional implications, given Iran’s long-standing support of Hezbollah.

In Israel, the mood was celebratory following Nasrallah’s assassination, with many welcoming the death of the man who led the armed Shia movement in numerous conflicts against Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described his killing as an “essential condition” for Israel to achieve its war goals and neutralize a major threat. Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant called it the closure of a “long-standing account” with Nasrallah, whose leadership was marked by bloodshed on both sides of the conflict.

However, Nasrallah’s death has also fueled outrage across Hezbollah’s base and its regional allies: Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned the strike as a “massacre” and announced five days of mourning for the fallen leader.

Khamenei also vowed that the Lebanon-based group would continue to lead the resistance against Israel. In Iraq, the government declared a three-day mourning period, with some lawmakers vowing that Nasrallah’s death would intensify the fight against Israel.

The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel has escalated sharply since Oct. 8, when Hezbollah began firing missiles into northern Israel following Hamas’s attack the day before that killed around 1,200 Israelis and saw more than 250 taken hostage.

According to the Israeli government, Hezbollah has launched about 9,300 rockets since October 2023, killing 49 people and injuring 372. Meanwhile, Israeli strikes have killed more than 1,000 people in Lebanon and forced tens of thousands to flee to neighboring Syria.

As Hezbollah mourns its leader, attention has turned to Hashem Safieddine, Nasrallah’s cousin and a senior figure within the armed group, as the most likely successor, according to Agence France-Presse.

Known for his fiery speeches, Safieddine, a member of Hezbollah’s Shura Council and a close ally of Iran, has been vocal in supporting Palestinian fighters and opposing Israeli forces. He has also vowed to continue the fight against Israel.