The enigmatic Hassan Nasrallah: Power and secrecy shroud Hezbollah's leader

Hassan Nasrallah, the 64-year-old leader of Hezbollah, has been shrouded in secrecy since taking control of the militant group in 1992. The Israeli air strike that targeted his headquarters in Beirut has only added to the mystery surrounding his life. But what do we know about the man who has been instrumental in shaping Hezbollah's rise to power? Born in 1960, Nasrallah grew up in a poor Shia family displaced from the Beirut suburb of Bourj Hammoud to southern Lebanon, where he lived under Israel's occupation. He studied theology before joining the Amal movement, a Shia political and paramilitary organization, where he gained experience in guerrilla warfare. In 1982, Nasrallah co-founded Hezbollah with Abbas al-Musawi, who would later become his predecessor as secretary-general. When al-Musawi was killed in an Israeli air strike in 1992, Nasrallah took the reins of the group and has since led it to become one of the most powerful and feared militant organizations in the Middle East. Nasrallah's leadership has been marked by a series of significant events, including the 1997 firefight that killed his 18-year-old son, and the 2006 war against Israel, which Hezbollah sparked with a rocket attack on Israeli territory. The war resulted in a stalemate, but Nasrallah's reputation as a strategic thinker and skilled military leader was solidified. Under Nasrallah's leadership, Hezbollah has expanded its military capabilities, increasing its arsenal to include 150,000 rockets and missiles, including guided missiles and long-range projectiles capable of striking anywhere in Israel. The group has also developed new weapons, such as explosive drones and surface-to-air missiles, which it has used to great effect in its recent conflicts with Israel. Nasrallah's relationship with Iran has been a key factor in Hezbollah's rise to power. The two groups share a common enemy in Israel, and Nasrallah has been closely allied with Iran's leadership for decades. This alliance has allowed Hezbollah to access funding, weapons, and training, which has enabled it to build its military capabilities. Despite his reputation as a master strategist, Nasrallah has been forced to live in hiding, fearing Israeli assassination. He delivers his speeches from undisclosed locations, and his security detail is notoriously strict. In a rare interview with the New York Times in 2002, Nasrallah demanded that the reporter and photographer be blindfolded and driven around the southern suburbs of Beirut before being brought to the interview location.

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