Hezbollah denies poisoning attempt on Nasrallah

Rumors that an assassination attempt was made on Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasralleh, which circulated in the Arab and Israeli media, were denied for the first time on Thursday by a top Hezbollah leader.

Ghaleb Abu Zeinab told AlArabiya.net that an official statement will be issued by Hezbollah soon on this regard. He stressed that the rumors were fabricated and completely false.

"The only one to have benefitted from such rumors is the intelligence of our enemy Israel," he said.

According to a state-affiliated Iraqi website, Hassan Nasrallah was poisoned with a highly toxic chemical and would have died without the intervention of Iranian doctors, the U.A.E. newspaper al-Bayan reported Thursday.

A Hezbollah-affiliated website said the Iraqi website that initially reported the rumors is related to an Arab intelligence service, though it did not specify which country.

Diplomatic sources in Beirut said Nasrallah was in critical condition after being poisoned whenan Iranian medical team of 15 doctors flew to Beirut on a fully equipped plane and saved his life, according the Iraqi website. The sources added that Nasrallah was still suffering from the after-effects of the poison.

According to media reports, three days ago there was unusual activity at the Rafik Hariri International Airport when the doctors arrived on Russian-made Antonov 74 military aircraft. There was tight security on the way from the airport to the Southern district of Beirut, where Nasrallah reportedly lives.

Western diplomatic sources commented on the rumors, saying that Israel was most likely behind the plot.

The sources added that the poisoning might have been through food or touching and that chemicals like organic phosphorus or chlorophenol could have been used. A toxic chemical like sodium peroxide or sodium oxide might have also been sprayed in his bedroom or places where he spends a lot of time.

A senior Hezbollah official called the rumors "fabrications" and said, "I haven't seen him in a week, but I know he's in good health."


(Translated from Arabic by Sonia Farid)