Speculation continues to swirly in Israel over reports that Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah has been taken to Iran for medical treatment, possibly for cancer. Reports of Nasrallah’s ill health – which appeared on the front pages of Israel’s leading dailies Yedioth Ahronoth and Maariv earlier today – were first aired Tuesday on “Voice of Beirut,” a radio station linked to anti-Hezbollah factions in Lebanon.

Hezbollah’s Al-Manar television channel quickly dismissed the news, and today released a 50-minute clip of the terrorist leader. “I’m here, in the flesh, to tell you these rumors are baseless,” Nasrallah says. An Israeli television news report on his speech is embedded below.

Nasrallah also dismissed as “fabrications” rumors swirling to the effect that Hezbollah’s deputy leader had been hurt or even killed in Syria. The Free Syrian Army (FSA) had said Tuesday that Naim Qassem had been killed when rebels bombed a Syrian military convoy near the Lebanese border.

The FSA has taken to releasing videos documenting their attacks on Hezbollah. The Iran-backed terror group has gone all-in on propping up Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad, and rebel forces recently issued an ultimatum demanding that Hezbollah withdraw from Lebanese territory or face attack. Hezbollah declined to withdraw.

Hezbollah’s efforts are among many that Tehran has taken on behalf of its Syrian ally. Earlier this month opposition figures reportedly killed Gen. Hassan Shateri, a member of of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Force (IRGC-QF) and a senior Iranian representative in Lebanon. Shateri was killed while traveling in between Lebanon and Syria. Ali Shirazi, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s representative in the Quds Force, subsequently threatened to target Israel in response to Shateri’s death.