Hezbollah confirms Hassan Nasrallah killed

Hezbollah confirmed on Saturday that its leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was killed and vowed to continue its battle against Israel "in support of Gaza and Palestine, and defense of Lebanon, its steadfast, honorable people."

The group provided no details about the circumstances of Nasrallah's death, who led Hezbollah for 32 years.

On Saturday Iranian media reported that Iran Revolutionary Guards' deputy commander Abbas Nilforoushan was killed in the Israeli strikes on Beirut on Friday.

Earlier an Israeli military spokesperson said that the strike was conducted when Nasrallah was with other senior commanders. He stated that Israel was ready for wider escalation and that "its forces are at peak alert, around the clock".

After the confirmation of Hassan Nasrallah's killing, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been moved to a secure location where heightened security measures are in place, two regional officials briefed by Tehran told Reuters.

Khamenei called on Muslims on Saturday to stand by the people of Lebanon and Hezbollah with whatever means they have and assist them in confronting the usurping, oppressive, and wicked regime, state media reported.

In a statement, he said "The fate of this region will be determined by the forces of resistance, with Hezbollah at the forefront," state media reported.

On Friday, the Israeli military targeted what it identified as Hezbollah's central headquarters in Beirut's southern suburbs and sent thick clouds of smoke over the city.

A wave of air raids hit Beirut's southern suburbs early Saturday, as Israel intensified its attacks on Hezbollah, after a massive strike on its command center that targeted leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Witnesses reported hearing more than 20 airstrikes before dawn on Saturday. Thousands of Lebanese abandoned their homes in the southern suburbs, gathering in squares, parks, and sidewalks in downtown Beirut and seaside areas.

In a separate statement, the Israeli army said on Saturday that it had also eliminated Ahmad Muhammad Fahd, the head of the Palestinian Hamas network in southern Syria, overnight on Friday.

Israel's military said on Saturday it had mobilized three reserve battalions to strengthen its Central Command amid escalating conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon.