Israel-Lebanon war: Funeral of slain Hassan Nasrallah to be held on Friday, 100 newborns named after Hezbollah leader

The funeral of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah will be held on Friday. On September 27, Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike on the militant group's headquarters in Dahieyh, a Hezbollah stronghold in Lebanese capital Beirut, marking a major escalation in the Israel-Lebanon conflict. 

The Hezbollah leader's death was first announced by Israel and later confirmed  by the Iran-backed militant group. Nasrallah's assassination sparked widespread outrage across Iraq, with large-scale demonstrations in parts of Iraq including Baghdad. 

After Nasrallah's death, Iraq has seen a surge of newborns named after the slain Hezbollah leader. Around 100 babies across the Islamist nation have been registered under the name "Nasrallah", as per the Iraqi health ministry. 

He was seen as a symbol of resistance against the Israeli and Western influences in many Arab nations. Moreover, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani described Hassan Nasrallah as "a martyr on the path of the righteous."

During a three-day state mourning, vigils and demonstrations were held nationwide to honour the Hezbollah leader. His death also triggered protests in Iraq, with protestors decrying Israel's actions. They also called Nasrallah's killing in an Israeli airstrike a violation of international law.

Moreover, Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib told CNN that Nasrallah had agreed to a 21-day ceasefire with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu days before he was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut.

Habib said: "The (Lebanese House) Speaker Mr Nabih Berri consulted with Hezbollah and we informed the Americans and the French about what happened. And they told us that Mr Netanyahu also agreed on the statement that was issued by both (US and French) presidents."

A day before his death, a joint statement from several nations, including the US, EU, and Saudi Arabia, called for a 21-day ceasefire to "give diplomacy a chance". However, Netanyahu rejected the proposal, stating that Israel would continue targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Nasrallah held the position of the militant group's secretary-general since 1992, after the assassination of the group's previous leader Abbas al-Musawi in an Israeli airstrike.

Under his leadership, Hezbollah grew into a significant political force in Lebanon and went onto become a major player in the geopolitics of Middle East.  Hezbollah became a major player in Middle Eastern geopolitics mainly due to its armed resistance against Israel and alliance with Iran. 

Hezbollah also supplied its missiles and rockets to Hamas, Houthis and other militias in Iraq and Yemen, widening the 'Axis of Resistance' against Israel. The Iran-backed terror outfit has also sent its fights to Syria, Iraq and Yemen. 

After the airstrike that killed Nasrallah, Israel launched a limited ground offensive in Lebanon. Over 1,900 people have been killed and more than 9,000 wounded in Lebanon in almost a year of cross-border fighting, with the highest number of deaths being reported in the past 2 weeks, as per the Lebanese government.