Hezbollah leader at victory rally

BEIRUT, Lebanon, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- The head of Hezbollah, in public for the first time in months, appeared at a rally in Beirut celebrating what militants called "divine victory" over Israel.

Thanking the crowd, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said, "Our presence here is not without danger," The BBC reported Friday. His appearance is the first time he has appeared in public since July, the BBC said.

Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah began July 12 and ended Aug. 14 with a ceasefire.

The Beirut rally had been expected to coincide with the final pullout of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon, the BBC said, but the Israeli military said some troops would remain over this weekend's Jewish New Year holiday.

More than 100 Israeli soldiers died in the fighting, while 43 Israeli civilians were killed during Hezbollah rocket attacks, the BBC said. More than 1,000 Lebanese civilians and an unknown number of Hezbollah fighters were killed.

Israel did not achieve its three goals of driving Hezbollah fighters from the borders, ending rocket attacks and securing the release of two Israeli soldiers captured by Hezbollah during a border raid, the BBC said.