Israeli journalist Amit Segal raised a toast on air to celebrate the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah the video of which has gone viral. Amit asked a show producer to fetch him a bottle of arak and glasses. There were eight panelists including Amit Segal. The video shows he and his co-host on News 12 toasting.
According to a report, Segal asked ‘who’s drinking?’ as he raised the toast.His fellow panelist Ben Caspit said he would but former Israeli military chief spokesperson Ronen Manelis apparently refused. “Really, everyone is happy that Nasrallah is dead,” Manelis said, as reported by New York Post. “[But] let’s think about the residents who had to flee their homes [due to the rocket bombardments].”
Segal said L’chaim’ meaning “to life”.
”While toasting Nasrallah’s death,” said Ben Caspit, as reported by Israel National News. “Let us also remember the hostages and those who remain evacuated from their homes. I pray for the return of the hostages – but I am very happy that our enemy is gone.”
“So may all of your enemies perish, Israel,” Segal said, quoting a verse said by the Prophet Deborah in the biblical Book of Judges.
Israeli strikes have killed Nasrallah and six of his top commanders and officials in the last 10 days as the Israel-Iran war sees an unprecedented escalation.
Chanel 12 reported that Hassan may have suffocated from toxic gases inside his secret bunker after it was demolished by the Israeli airstrike. Officials pulled Nasrallah’s body out of the bunker on Sunday finding no visible wounds on him. The cave-in caused Nasrallah to suffocate and die in agony as the room was filled with fumes from smoke and explosions, the report said.
“Israel was not able to affect our (military) capabilities,” Hezbollah acting leader Naim Kassem said in a televised statement, the first time any senior Hezbollah figure has been seen since Nasrallah was killed. “There are deputy commanders and there are replacements in case a commander is wounded in any post.”
Israel warned Monday it could send in troops to fight Hezbollah, warning the battle was not over despite the killing of the Iran-backed militants’ leader in an air strike.