Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Iran-backed Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah terror group, gave a televised speech Tuesday, shutting down rumors about his poor health and lashing out at “crazy officials” in Israel’s new “government of corrupt criminals and extremists.”
“I would like to reassure you that there is no need to worry at all,” Nasrallah said in an address to mark the third anniversary of the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a US air strike in Iraq. He also spoke out against Israel’s new government, though expressed hopes it would lead to the Jewish state’s demise.
Nasrallah, 62, dismissed rumors mentioned in some Israeli and international news outlets that he had had a stroke or was near death, after a speech planned for Friday was called off. Nasrallah, who coughed and had a hoarse voice throughout his address, explained that he has had a “trachea allergy” for the past 30 years.
“After what was said in the Israeli and Gulf media, I would like to reassure you that there is no need to worry at all,” he said.
“I apologize for making you worry,” he told supporters. Lebanese media affiliated with Hezbollah had reported that Nasrallah was suffering from the flu, preventing him from speaking normally and this was the reason for the canceled speech.
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