BEIRUT (AP) — On Sunday, a massive crowd of hundreds of thousands gathered at a stadium in Beirut and filled the streets for the funeral of Hezbollah’s former leader, Hassan Nasrallah, nearly five months after he was killed in an Israeli airstrike.

Nasrallah met his demise when Israeli forces dropped over 80 bombs on Hezbollah’s primary operations center located in a southern suburb of Lebanese capital. His death was a significant setback for the Iran-backed militant organization and political entity he had molded into a formidable player in the Middle East.

As a founding member of Hezbollah and its leader for more than three decades, he held considerable influence among various Iran-aligned factions across the region. Nasrallah was well-respected within the so-called Iran-led axis of resistance, which included groups from Iraq, Yemen, and Palestine.

He became a symbol of resistance in much of the Arab world after Hezbollah managed to hold its ground against Israel during a grueling month-long conflict in 2006. However, the group’s reputation suffered when it sided with former President Bashar Assad in the Syrian civil war.

Hezbollah had urged its followers to attend the funeral en masse, signaling an intent to demonstrate the group’s resilience following significant losses during a 14-month conflict with Israel that claimed the lives of many senior political and military leaders.

A Lebanese official, who wished to remain anonymous, estimated the crowd at approximately 450,000.

“This enormous turnout confirms that Hezbollah remains the most popular political party in Lebanon, debunking claims that it is weakened or diminished,” stated Ali Fayyad, a lawmaker from the group’s political wing, who was present at the ceremony.

Sahar al-Attar, a mourner who journeyed from Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, expressed determination: “We would have come even under fire” to honor Nasrallah’s burial.

During the funeral, Nasrallah shared the spotlight with his cousin and successor, Hashem Safieddine, who was killed shortly after in another Israeli airstrike. While Nasrallah will be interred later on Sunday in Beirut, Safieddine will find his final resting place in his hometown in southern Lebanon. Both were initially buried in secret locations.

As the coffins paraded before the vast audience, attendees threw flowers, while some threw articles of clothing, hoping to touch the coffins as a sign of blessing.

Outside the stadium, large screens were positioned along the roadway to the airport, proclaiming the funeral theme: “We are committed to the covenant.”

International Dignitaries in Attendance

Hezbollah official Ali Daamoush informed reporters on Saturday that around 800 notable figures from 65 countries were expected to attend, in addition to thousands of individuals and activists from across the globe.

Among the dignitaries arriving at the main sports arena in Beirut were Iran’s parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, along with Lebanon’s parliament speaker and representatives from both the president and prime minister’s offices.

The funeral attracted non-official attendees from abroad, including individuals from Western nations.

Irish activist Tara O’Grady waved her national flag and shared her reason for attending: “I came to Beirut to stand with the people of Lebanon and their resistance against the Zionist regime, which continues to severely bombard southern Lebanon.” She drew parallels between Nasrallah and Michael Collins, an early-20th-century Irish revolutionary.

As O’Grady spoke with The Associated Press, four Israeli aircraft flew low over Beirut while Nasrallah’s coffin was brought into the stadium, igniting chants from the crowd of: “Death to Israel” and “at your service, Nasrallah.”

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a statement asserting that the flight of the fighter jets over the funeral “delivered a clear message: Those who threaten to annihilate Israel will meet their end.”

In the hours surrounding the funeral, the Israeli military also conducted multiple strikes in southern and eastern Lebanon.

Hezbollah’s Stance of Defiance

Per the U.S.-mediated ceasefire agreement that concluded the conflict with Israel on November 27, Hezbollah is prohibited from maintaining an armed presence along the Israel border.

The group faced further adversity with the collapse of the Assad regime’s decades-long reign in Syria in early December, which hindered the transfer of weapons and funds from Iran. Opponents have intensified calls for Hezbollah to disarm and transition to a solely political party.

Naim Kassem, Hezbollah’s current Secretary-General and Nasrallah’s successor, emphasized in a televised message during the funeral that “the resistance is still present and strong, both in numbers and armaments, and inevitable victory will come.” He was not physically present at the stadium.

Kassem insisted that “Israel must withdraw from the territories it still occupies” in southern Lebanon, pointing out five key border points where Israeli forces remain.

“We will not permit America to dominate our nation,” he asserted. “Israel will not gain what it could not win through warfare by political means.”