The head of the Executive Council of "Hezbollah," Sheikh Hashem Safi al-Din, confirmed that "we will all guard the south with our turbans, history, culture, and our martyrs." During the funeral of the Hezbollah leader Mohammed Ni'mah Nasser, known as "Abu Ni'mah," at the "Sayed Al-Shuhada" complex in the southern suburbs, Safi al-Din remarked that "Haj Abu Ni'mah leaves as a martyr and a leader with a life full of victories and fluttering flags." He made it clear in his remarks directed at the Israelis that "this assassination does not give you any military advantage, nor is it counted as an achievement, while the true achievement is what commander Abu Ni'mah accomplished." Safi al-Din mentioned that "the failure in Gaza indicates that this weary army is incapable of achieving victories, and this army, after successive blows from 2000 until today, will not be able to achieve victories in any battle or confrontation." He emphasized that "the response to the assassination of commander Abu Ni'mah began yesterday and will continue, and this front will remain strong and active."