Rumors continue to swirl on social media regarding the medical condition of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, after his infamous “coughing speech” last week, Ynet reported on Monday.
In the speech, Nasrallah coughed and appeared to have trouble speaking as he warned Israel that “a response to damage to the holy sites in Jerusalem will not be stopped within the borders of the resistance in Gaza."
Reports in Israel following that speech said that Israeli intelligence believes Nasrallah is ill with COVID-19 and his health is deteriorating.
Hezbollah's deputy leader Naim Qassem was interviewed last weekend and said that Nasrallah's condition was good, though he admitted that he was suffering from some illness and that he required rest.
Despite the clarification issued by Nasrallah's deputy, the rumor mill continued on social media and there were even claims that Nasrallah had fallen into a coma.
Hezbollah did not officially respond to these rumors, but a source in the organization told the Lebanese newspaper A-Nahar that there was no basis for the rumors and that "these are only rumors."
Ynet noted that prominent Arab media outlets have so far not provided new details about Nasrallah's condition, if indeed there is anything to report on the matter, and most have not commented on the rumor mill at all, given the fact that Hezbollah has not issued an official statement on the matter.
Rumors have circulated in the past about the health of 60-year-old Nasrallah, which later turned out to be wrong. While it now appears without a doubt that he is not in good condition, based on his last appearance, there is no confirmation that his condition had worsened nor has evidence been published of the nature of his illness.