Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah killed after 'unprecedented' Israeli bombing of Beirut

The IDF added that it also killed Ali Karaki, the commander of Hezbollah's southern front.

The Iran-backed group has yet to issue any statement on the status of Nasrallah, who has led the group for 32 years.

The Israeli military "eliminated... Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the Hezbollah terrorist organisation," Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee wrote in a statement on X.

He added: "During his 32 years as leader of the terrorist organisation Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah was responsible for the killing of a large number of Israeli citizens and IDF soldiers, in addition to planning and executing thousands of terrorist acts against the State of Israel and around the world.

"Nasrallah was the main decision-maker in the organisation and had the sole and final say on every strategic decision Hezbollah made and sometimes on tactical decisions as well.

"On October 8, the terrorist organisation Hezbollah and its leader Hassan Nasrallah joined the war against the State of Israel.

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"Since then, Hezbollah has continued its attacks against the citizens of Israel and dragged the State of Lebanon and the region into escalation.

"The IDF will continue to target anyone who promotes and engages in terrorist acts against the citizens of the State of Israel."

The Israeli military tweeted: "Hassan Nasrallah will no longer be able to terrorise the world."

The Israeli army's chief of staff said the IDF had not emptied its "toolbox" with the killing of Nasrallah.

"This is not the end of our toolbox. The message is simple, anyone who threatens the citizens of Israel - we will know how to reach them," Chief of the General Staff Herzi Halevi said in a statement.

Israel launched a new wave of airstrikes on Beirut's southern suburbs and other areas of Lebanon on Saturday, a day after carrying out the massive attack on the southern suburbs of Beirut known as Dahiyeh.

The intense bombing began just hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a speech at the United Nations in New York on Friday afternoon vowing to continue the fight.

Just three hours later, Netanyahu gave the green light to the IDF's "unprecedented" heavy bombardment of the Lebanese capital during a call to defence minister Yoav Gallant, who remained in Tel Aviv.