Lebanon prepares for Hezbollah Leaders’ Funeral, Shafaq News at scene

Shafaq News/ Preparations are in full swing at Beirut’s Kamil Shamon Sports City, the largest stadium in Lebanon, ahead of the anticipated funeral of former Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and head of the executive council, Hashem Safieddine, set for Sunday, February 23, 2025.

Both were killed in separate Israeli airstrikes in Dahye of Beirut in September and October 2024.

The event, scheduled to draw tens of thousands of mourners from Lebanon and abroad, including from Iraq and Iran, has prompted unprecedented logistical and security measures.

According to Shafaq News reporter, intensive efforts are underway at the sports complex, located on the outskirts of Beirut’s southern suburbs, to ensure the ceremony proceeds smoothly.

Hezbollah, in coordination with Lebanese security forces, has implemented a comprehensive security plan, involving widespread deployment of security personnel, designated checkpoints, and traffic control measures to prevent congestion in surrounding areas.

“This event will see large crowds from across Lebanon and abroad, with the 50-thousand capacity Kamil Shamon Sports City expected to be filled,” the reporter said, pointing out that teams have completed the setup of the main stage for official speeches and have positioned large screens around the stadium to broadcast the proceedings to the crowds outside.

Special areas have also been allocated for official delegations and political and religious figures expected to attend.

Hezbollah has confirmed that the ceremony will begin at 1:00 PM local time (11:00 AM GMT,) lasting around 65 minutes, featuring a speech by the new Secretary-General Naim Qassem before the two bodies are transferred to their final resting places.

The funeral procession will follow a special route from the sports city to the burial sites—Nasrallah’s grave in the Bourj al-Barajneh area in Beirut's Southern suburb and Safieddine’s in his hometown of Deir Qanoun in southern Lebanon.

The event has drawn international attention, with sources revealing that delegations from more than 80 countries, including Middle Eastern, European, Asian, and Latin American representatives, are expected to participate. The funeral’s significance has also spurred a surge of international flights into Beirut, particularly from Iraq and Iran, with reports indicating that flights from Baghdad are fully booked. In response to the increased demand, additional flights have been scheduled.

Israel warned that it might strike the funeral if it turns into a “show of force.”