Hezbollah leader makes rare public appearance attending a religious Shiite ceremony in Beirut

BEIRUT – The leader of Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group has made a rare public appearance, showing up in a giant hall south of Beirut to attend a Shiite Muslim religious ceremony.

Sheik Hassan Nasrallah stood in front of hundreds of supporters who pushed forward to see him while chanting "at your service Nasrallah."

Nasrallah has made few public appearances since his group fought a 34-day war with Israel in 2006 for fear of assassination by Israel.

The black-turbaned Shiite cleric said late Wednesday that his arch-enemy Israel is happy to see Sunni and Shiite Muslims killing each other.

It was Nasrallah's first public appearance since Aug. 2.

Nasrallah usually gives his speeches from secret locations and speaks through a television link.