US Cheers Hezbollah Leader’s Death, Grapples With Potential for Wider War

On Saturday, U.S. lawmakers and officials reacted to the death of Nasrallah, the long-time leader of Hezbollah, in a targeted Israeli attack in a Beirut suburb.

Many in Washington viewed Nasrallah’s death as a significant blow to terrorism, although concerns about potential escalations in the Middle East lingered.

Nasrallah, who led the Iran-backed Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated terror group, was killed along with several top commanders in an Israeli airstrike on Sept. 27.

“Hassan Nasrallah and the terrorist group he led, Hezbollah, were responsible for killing hundreds of Americans,” Biden stated. “His death from an Israeli airstrike is a measure of justice for his many victims, including thousands of Americans, Israelis, and Lebanese civilians.”

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The president connected Nasrallah’s death to the violence that erupted on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas initiated a large-scale attack on Israel. He mentioned that Nasrallah’s decision to align Hezbollah with Hamas created a “northern front” against Israel, leading to retaliatory action.

“The United States fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and any other Iranian-supported terrorist groups,” Biden affirmed.

On Capitol Hill, lawmakers from both parties expressed solidarity with Israel’s actions, portraying Nasrallah’s death as a setback for terrorism and a victory for global security.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) hailed the end of Nasrallah’s “reign of bloodshed, oppression, and terror.”

Johnson described Nasrallah’s death as “a major step forward for the Middle East,” while urging the Biden administration to cease calling for a cease-fire.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) echoed these sentiments, likening Nasrallah’s death to previous U.S. efforts to eliminate other prominent terrorist figures like Imad Mugniyah and Qasem Soleimani. McConnell depicted Nasrallah as an architect of terror in the Middle East, whose removal enhanced the safety of Israelis, Americans, and others.

Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.) also celebrated Nasrallah’s death, stating that the world is “safer without him.”

Despite the widespread approval of the Israeli strike, concerns about potential consequences emerged within the U.S. government. While the Pentagon confirmed that U.S. forces were not involved in the operation, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin emphasized the importance of de-escalation in the region.

Austin stressed that while the United States supports Israel’s right to self-defense, measures must be taken to prevent the conflict from escalating further.

Biden disclosed that he has instructed Austin to “further enhance the defense posture” of U.S. military assets in the Middle East “to deter aggression and reduce the risk of a broader regional war.”

“Ultimately, our aim is to de-escalate the ongoing conflicts in both Gaza and Lebanon through diplomatic means,” Biden asserted, revealing that his administration has been working towards a ceasefire agreement, the release of hostages in Gaza, and a peace deal that would “safely return people to their homes in Israel and southern Lebanon.”

“It is time for these deals to close, for the threats to Israel to be removed, and for the broader Middle East region to gain greater stability,” he concluded.

The strike on Nasrallah is part of a wider Israeli military campaign targeting Hezbollah’s infrastructure in Lebanon. Prior to announcing Nasrallah’s death, Israel’s military reported conducting other targeted strikes on Friday that eliminated additional senior Hezbollah commanders, including Ali Karki, the group’s Southern Front Commander, and Muhammad Ali Ismail, the head of its Missile Unit.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that Israel will persist in its campaign against Hezbollah, while deeming Nasrallah’s killing as an “essential condition” for Israel to achieve its war objectives.