Lebanon is preparing for the burial of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, nearly five months after he was killed in an Israeli air strike.
The country is expected to come to a halt for a few hours on Sunday for the funeral which is scheduled for 1pm (11:00 GMT) at the Camille Chamoun sports stadium on the outskirts of capital Beirut. He will then be buried at a dedicated site nearby.
Nasrallah was temporarily buried next to his son, Hadi, who died fighting for Hezbollah in 1997.
The Lebanese group has announced strict security measures and urged security forces to help manage crowds that are expected to number in the tens of thousands, with people pouring in from Hezbollah strongholds across the country as well as from abroad.
Civil aviation authorities said Beirut airport will close exceptionally and flights will be suspended from midday until 4pm (14:00 GMT).
Nasrallah was killed on September 27 in an Israeli air strike as he met commanders in a bunker in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Revered by Hezbollah supporters, Nasrallah led the group through decades of conflict with Israel, overseeing a transformation into a military force with regional sway and becoming one of the most prominent Arab figures in generations. The funeral will also honour Hashem Safieddine, who led Hezbollah for one week after Nasrallah’s death before he was also killed by Israel.
He will be buried separately in the south on Monday.
“The funeral is a launchpad for the next phase. A great funeral that draws hundreds of thousands is a way of telling everyone that Hezbollah still exists,” said Mohanad Hage Ali of the Carnegie Middle East Center.
Israel killed thousands of Hezbollah fighters and inflicted huge destruction in Beirut’s southern suburbs and across Lebanon in its war last year.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will attend, an Iranian official said. Several leaders of Iraqi Shia militias are also expected to attend.
Iraqi Airways has added flights to Beirut to cope with extra demand from Iraqis who want to travel to Beirut for the funeral, a spokesperson for the Iraqi Ministry of Transport said.
