News - Middle East: The secretary general of Lebanon’s Hezbollah resistance movement says the United States assassinated top Iranian and Iraqi commanders, Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, with the goal of weakening the resistance front and eliminating threats to the occupying Israeli regime.

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah made the remarks in a televised speech broadcast live from the Sayyed al-Shuhadaa Complex in Dahiyeh, south of the Lebanese capital of Beirut, on Tuesday while addressing a ceremony held in commemoration of the third martyrdom anniversary of the two top anti-terror commanders and their companions in a US drone strike near the Baghdad International Airport on January 3, 2020.

Nasrallah offered his condolences to the families of the two distinguished martyrs, saying General Soleimani “turned into an inspiring symbol after his martyrdom,” and that “his funeral was the largest in history.”

The Hezbollah chief lauded the “great sincerity and high degree of piety” of the General Soleimani and said, “Hajj Qassem was following the directives and guidance of Imam Khamenei.”

“Hajj Qassem was able, through his brainpower, planning, constant presence, and sincerity, to link the forces of the resistance axis, strengthen them and provide them with material and intellectual support through meetings and direct presence on the front lines.”