Nasrallah killing brings ‘measure of justice’: Biden

Washington, Sep 28 (IANS) President Joe Biden on Saturday welcomed the killing of Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah as “a measure of justice for his many victims” and called for Israel and Lebanon to conclude ceasefire negotiations.

The U.S. and its allies had earlier called for a 21-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon to end months of exchange of missiles to restart the stalled talks between Israel and Hamas.

“Hassan Nasrallah and the terrorist group he led, Hezbollah, were responsible for killing hundreds of Americans over a four-decade reign of terror,” Biden said in a statement.

“His death from an Israeli airstrike is a measure of justice for his many victims, including thousands of Americans, Israelis, and Lebanese civilians.”

He said that the airstrikes that killed Nasrallah took place in the broader context of the conflict that began with Hamas’s massacre on October 7, 2023.

“Hamas terrorists entered Israel on October 7 and killed 1,139 people - 695 Israeli civilians, including 36 children, and 373 security forces and 71 foreigners, giving a total of 1,139. They had also taken 251 people hostage. The next, Nasrallah, made the fateful decision to join hands with Hamas and open what he called a “northern front” against Israel,” Biden added.

The US president reiterated US support for Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and any other Iranian-supported terrorist groups.

“Just yesterday, I directed my Secretary of Defense to further enhance the defence posture of US military forces in the Middle East region to deter aggression and reduce the risk of a broader regional war,” he said further.

He said that the ultimate U.S. goal is to de-escalate the ongoing conflicts in both Gaza and Lebanon through diplomatic means.

“In Gaza, we have been pursuing a deal backed by the UN Security Council for a ceasefire and the release of hostages. In Lebanon, we have been negotiating a deal that would return people safely 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,” Biden said.