Thousands of Hezbollah supporters gathered Monday in southern Beirut for the funeral of the Iran-backed terror group’s military chief, Haytham Ali Tabatabai, a day after he was assassinated by the Israel Defense Forces in an airstrike in the Lebanese capital, with attendees threatening retaliation.

Those present walked by Tabatabai’s coffin, draped in the group’s yellow flag, as it was carried through the crowd. The burial of Tabatabai and two other Hezbollah members took place in a cemetery in Beirut’s southern suburbs, a densely populated area where Hezbollah holds sway, in which the terrorist organization’s fighters are traditionally laid to rest.

The crowd yelled slogans against Israel and the United States, while supporters carried portraits of Hezbollah’s leaders and Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“We will not leave our weapons! We will not leave our land!” the mourners chanted. Top Hezbollah political officials attended the funeral in person, but it was unclear if any military officials were present.

Hezbollah executive council head Sheikh Ali Daamoush said Israel should be wary of Hezbollah’s response.

Daamoush said: “The Zionists should be worried, because they’ve committed a grave crime against the resistance and against Lebanon.”

Referring to a potential diplomatic resolution to the tensions, Daamoush said: “We won’t concern ourselves with any proposals as long as the enemy doesn’t commit to the ceasefire agreement” that Israel and Hezbollah reached a year ago. Israel has accused Hezbollah of breaching the accord and says its strikes against the terror group are meant to prevent it from rearming.

Alluding to US and other countries’ pressure on Beirut........

© The Times of Israel