Iraqi premier declares 3 days of mourning over Hezbollah leader's assassination

ANKARA

Iraq's Prime Minister Muhammad Shia' al-Sudani announced on Saturday a three-day period of national mourning over the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, his office said.

In a statement, the prime minister's office said the mourning is in honor of the “martyrdom” of Nasrallah and his companions killed by Israel, which has continued extensive airstrikes in Lebanon this week, killing hundreds and displacing thousands.

Hezbollah has confirmed the killing of its leader in a massive air attack on a densely populated neighborhood of Beirut on Friday evening that levelled several residential buildings.

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the onset of Israel’s military onslaught in Gaza following the Hamas-led cross-border attack on Oct. 7. The conflict has claimed the lives of more than 41,000 people, most of whom are women and children.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi in Ankara