Why the U.S. government is hailing Israel's killing of Hezbollah's leader as 'justice'

The death of Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah by an Israeli airstrike on Saturday could reshape the war in the Middle East in ways not yet known. The civilian death toll from the strikes is likely to rise. And the Iran-backed Lebanese militacnt group is known for its resilience and retaliation.

But many U.S. leaders have united in their support of Israel’s killing of Nasrallah for what they see an appropriate action for the longtime decision maker of an organization that killed many innocent lives.

President Biden said the death of Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, by an Israeli airstrike on Saturday was “a measure of justice for his many victims.”

“Hassan Nasrallah and the terrorist group he led, Hezbollah, were responsible for killing hundreds of Americans over a four-decade reign of terror,” Biden said in a statement.

Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson also added their support for the attack.

Harris called Nasrallah “a terrorist with American blood on his hands” whose leadership “destabilized the Middle East and led to the killing of countless innocent people in Lebanon, Israel, Syria, and around the world. Today, Hezbollah’s victims have a measure of justice.”

Biden and Harris reiterated their support for Israel’s right to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups.

Hezbollah has been linked to several anti-U.S. attacks since the 1980s. Hezbollah was formed in 1982 in response to Israel’s invasion of Lebanon and three years later pledged allegiance to the supreme leader of Iran and called for the destruction of Israel.

The groups attacks against Americans and U.S. interests include the suicide truck bombings in 1983 and 1984