President Joe Biden called the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah “a measure of justice” for the thousands of civilians that he and the terrorist organization killed over the last three decades.
“Hassan Nasrallah and the terrorist group he led, Hezbollah, were responsible for killing hundreds of Americans over a four-decade reign of terror,” Biden said in a statement. “His death from an Israeli airstrike is a measure of justice for his many victims, including thousands of Americans, Israelis, and Lebanese civilians.”
The president’s statement arrives after Lebanon’s Hezbollah group confirmed that Nasrallah, 64, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on Friday.
Vice President Kamala Harris echoed Biden’s statement, saying, “Today, Hezbollah’s victims have a measure of justice.”
Nasrallah took leadership in Hezbollah in 1992, helping create and maintain a Shia political and military army that launched bombings and attacks around the world, killing thousands of civilians in their path in the name of destroying Israel.
For decades, Hezbollah, under Nasarallah’s leadership, fought wars against Israel and participated in conflicts in neighboring countries like Syria.
Since October 7, the organization has supported Hamas and condemned Israel for its war in Gaza. Hezbollah has launched attacks on Israel, demanding a ceasefire. Recently, Israel launched attacks in Lebanon to push Hezbollah back from the northern border and destroy Hezbollah’s infrastructure.
Those deadly attacks, which have killed at least 1,000 people, are ultimately what killed Nasrallah.
Biden said Nasrallah’s death is part of the broader Israel–Hamas conflict given Hezbollah’s decision to support Hamas. The president reaffirmed support for Israel to “defend itself” against the terrorist organizations and directed the Secretary of Defense to “enhance” the U.S. military forces’ “defense posture”.
Yet, Biden also added that the ultimate aim is to diplomatically de-escalate the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon – where Israel is conducting deadly airstrikes.
The U.S. has given Israel at least $12.5 billion in military aid since October 7.
The escalating conflict in the Middle East has led to warnings from leaders around the world about the potentially devastating consequences for more civilians. Already, more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed as a result of Israel’s war in Gaza, according to the Gazan health ministry.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Saturday he was concerned about the escalating violence, warning that “the people of Israel, as well as the wider region, cannot afford an all-out war.”
The U.S. has issued a warning to all Americans to leave Lebanon, if possible, due to “the increased volatility following airstrikes within Beirut and the volatile and unpredictable security situation throughout Lebanon.”
All U.S. citizens are urged to leave “while commercial options still remain available.”