Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, made a speech Tuesday in Beirut, his first public appearance in Lebanon since 2008.
Nasrallah greeted crowds in the southern suburbs of Beirut – a mostly Shiite district – to commemorate Ashura, one of the holiest days for Shia Muslims.
"I wanted to be with you for few minutes … to renew our pledge and for the world to hear us," Nasrallah said, according to the Associated Press.
The AP reported that Nasrallah’s appearance was “meant to portray confidence at a time of upheaval in the Middle East and particularly in Syria, which along with Iran is Hezbollah's backer.”
Nasrallah has kept a low profile since 2006, when Israel and Hezbollah fought a month-long war.
Gulf News described Nasrallah a “prime target” for Israel:
Considered a prime target for his arch-enemy Israel, Nasrallah last appeared in public in July 2008, on the occasion of the release of five Lebanese prisoners by the Jewish state.