Hezbollah ‘ready’ for an all-out war with Israel, deputy head says
Sheikh Naim Qassem tells Al Jazeera that Hezbollah is not seeking to widen its conflict with Israel but ‘will not allow Israel to secure any victories’.
The Lebanese armed group Hezbollah is not seeking to widen its conflict with Israel but is ready to fight any war imposed on it, its deputy leader said, as hostilities across the Lebanese-Israeli border continue to flare.
Sheikh Naim Qassem, the Lebanese group’s deputy chief, said Hezbollah is “ready for the battle and will not allow Israel to secure any victories”.
“Any Israeli expansion of the war on Lebanon will be met with devastation, destruction and displacement in Israel,” he added.
“If Israel wants to fight an all-out war, we are ready for it.”
Iran-aligned Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging fire for the past eight months in parallel with Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza, raising concerns that an even wider conflict could break out between the heavily armed adversaries.
The Lebanese front, Qassem said, is permanently linked to Gaza, echoing similar sentiments expressed by Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, who has repeatedly described the group’s support for Gaza as “final”.
The cross-border violence, which has oscillated for months, escalated in recent days. Hezbollah announced on Tuesday that it had launched a squadron of one-way attack drones at an Israeli military barracks for a second consecutive day, calling it a response to a deadly Israeli attack on Lebanon.
Meanwhile, sirens sounded in northern Israel.
‘Not a sustainable reality’
The hostilities have been the worst between Israel and Hezbollah since they went to war in 2006, and tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border have been forced to flee their homes.
Israel’s war cabinet is due to meet later on Tuesday – mainly to discuss the northern front, an Israeli official said.
Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer on Tuesday said the fighting in the north was “not a sustainable reality”.
He said Israel was committed to ensuring the security of tens of thousands of Israelis who had been evacuated from the area and to ensuring they return home.
“It is up to Hezbollah to decide if this can be accomplished by diplomatic means or by force,” he said. “We are defending this country and no one should be surprised by our response.”
Amos Hochstein, a senior adviser to US President Joe Biden at the heart of diplomatic efforts seeking de-escalation, said last week that a land border agreement between Israel and Lebanon implemented in phases could dampen the conflict.
Israel has gone to war several times in Lebanon.
Education Minister Yoav Kisch, a member of the right-wing and ruling Likud Party who is not part of Israel’s war cabinet, told Israeli Army Radio on Monday that Israel “must go to war to drive Hezbollah … beyond the Litani” river, which meets the Mediterranean Sea near the Lebanese city of Tyre, 19km (12 miles) from the border.
Israeli strikes have killed some 300 members of Hezbollah since October 7, and around 80 civilians. Attacks from Lebanon on Israel have killed 18 Israeli soldiers and 10 civilians, the Israeli military says.
Rockets fired from Lebanon set off wildfires across swathes of northern Israel on Monday.
Hezbollah said on Monday that it launched a squadron of drones against an Israeli target in response to Israel’s killing of a Hezbollah member. While Hezbollah has used drones in the conflict, it marked the first time it had declared launching a squadron of them.
The group said Tuesday’s drone launch had been in response to what it described as an Israeli assassination in the border town of Naqoura.
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES
Latest
“The difference between me and you is.
I stand with every innocent, oppressed, victimized person.
But before you decide to stand with these people, you go through a checklist. There they belong.
country, group, region and religion.”
― Mohammed Zaki Ansari, “Zaki’s Gift Of Love”
I conceive this site has some very excellent information for everyone : D.
Outstanding post, I believe blog owners should acquire a lot from this site its real user genial.
Thank you for sharing with us, I believe this website really stands out : D.
fantastic post, very informative. I wonder why the other specialists of this sector don’t notice this. You should continue your writing. I’m sure, you have a huge readers’ base already!
The very heart of your writing whilst appearing agreeable in the beginning, did not really settle very well with me after some time. Someplace within the paragraphs you managed to make me a believer but only for a short while. I however have got a problem with your leaps in assumptions and you would do nicely to fill in all those breaks. In the event you can accomplish that, I would definitely end up being fascinated.
Of course, what a magnificent website and informative posts, I surely will bookmark your website.All the Best!
Este site é realmente fascinate. Sempre que acesso eu encontro coisas diferentes Você também pode acessar o nosso site e saber mais detalhes! conteúdo único. Venha saber mais agora! 🙂
I conceive this internet site holds some real wonderful info for everyone. “Dealing with network executives is like being nibbled to death by ducks.” by Eric Sevareid.
Some genuinely nice and utilitarian information on this website, also I conceive the design and style contains good features.
Valuable information. Lucky me I found your site by accident, and I am shocked why this accident didn’t happened earlier! I bookmarked it.
Greetings from Florida! I’m bored to death at work so I decided to check out your site on my iphone during lunch break. I enjoy the information you present here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m surprised at how quick your blog loaded on my phone .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyhow, good blog!
Wonderful beat ! I would like to apprentice while you amend your website, how can i subscribe for a blog website? The account helped me a acceptable deal. I had been a little bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided bright clear idea
I am impressed with this web site, real I am a fan.
You are my inspiration , I have few web logs and rarely run out from to post .
We are a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community. Your website offered us with valuable information to work on. You’ve done a formidable job and our whole community will be thankful to you.
As I website owner I believe the articles here is rattling fantastic, thanks for your efforts.
Definitely believe that which you said. Your favorite reason seemed to be on the net the simplest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I certainly get irked while people think about worries that they plainly do not know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top and also defined out the whole thing without having side effect , people can take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thanks
You made some respectable factors there. I seemed on the internet for the difficulty and located most individuals will go together with together with your website.
Hmm is anyone else encountering problems with the images on this blog loading? I’m trying to find out if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Today, I went to the beachfront with my children. I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She put the shell to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear. She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is totally off topic but I had to tell someone!