1000s join Hezbollah commander funeral procession

Thousands of people have joined the funeral procession of a Hezbollah commander who was assassinated outside his home in southern Beirut.

On Wednesday, thousands of people took part in Hassan al-Laqis’ funeral procession at his hometown in Baalbek city, in eastern Lebanon.

Al-Laqis was martyred in the busy Beirut suburb of Hadath early Wednesday as he returned home from work.

Security officials said he was shot inside his car and succumbed to his injuries after being rushed to hospital

The mourners chanted slogans such as “Israel, you are the enemy of Muslims. America, you are the great Satan,” blaming Tel Aviv and Washington for the killing.

Hezbollah has blamed Israel for the assassination.

“The Israeli enemy is naturally directly to blame,” Hezbollah said in a statement issued following the killing.

“This enemy must shoulder complete responsibility and repercussions for this heinous crime and its repeated targeting of leaders and cadres of the resistance,” the statement added.