In his first public speech since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said that the Israel-Hamas war was a Palestinian affair but regional actors must support the Palestinians.
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"The war is 100% Palestinian, not regional. The battle is completely Palestinian, for the Palestinians, and has no relation to other regional affairs,” he said at a ceremony honoring members of his terrorist group killed in border skirmishes with Israel since October 7.
He also denied any involvement in Hamas’s terror attack on Israel and said it was “100% Palestinian.” “The decision to initiate action was 100% Palestinian, its details concealed from all," he said. "The secrecy of the operation did not anger anyone in the resistance axis."
The speech comes against the backdrop of more than three weeks of cross-border violence between the terrorist group and the IDF inflicting at least 56 dead on the Iranian-backed group since the beginning of the war.
Amid speculations regarding his intentions to initiate a full-scale war against Israel, Nasrallah's speech appeared to be an attempt to rationalize his organization’s current actions, stressing that Hezbollah became actively involved in the fighting since October 8.
"What is happening on the Lebanese border may seem modest, but it is very important," Nasrallah said, claiming that such exchanges of fire at the border have not been seen since 1948, the year of Israel’s independence.
He noted that Hezbollah's operations have escalated day by day, forcing Israel to keep its forces near the border instead of in Gaza and the West Bank. He alluded to further actions on the border, though he did not elaborate. Later he added, "A further escalation on the Lebanese front is a real possibility."
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Hezbollah supporters gathering in Beirut to listen to Nasrallah's speech
(Photo: REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir)
Nasrallah issued a stark warning to Israel, declaring that "if Israel launches a preemptive strike in Lebanon, it will be making the greatest mistake in its history." He indicated that the escalation on the Lebanese front depends on events in Gaza and Israeli actions there, asserting that "all options on our Lebanese front are open, and we are prepared for all possibilities."
Regarding the arrival of U.S. aircraft carriers and destroyers in the region, he said, "The warships of the United States do not scare us. We are very well-prepared to confront them as well."
Nasrallah stated that the current conflict represents "a new and historic phase in the battle against Israel," and he endorsed Hamas's decision to attack as correct, wise and courageous, and timed perfectly.
Nasrallah also spread falsehoods in his speech and denied Hamas atrocities despite ample evidence, alleging, "It is the Israeli security forces who have committed massacres against them (the Israelis)."
The Hezbollah leader downplayed Israel's achievements in the war, stating that one of the major mistakes Jerusalem is currently making is setting goals that he claims are unattainable, such as the complete eradication of Hamas.
"They didn't say 'we'll bring down the military wing, but all of Hamas!'" he exclaimed. He argued that "for a whole month, Israel has not been able to demonstrate a single military achievement," and regarding the issue of the Israeli hostages, he said that Israel could only secure their release through negotiation.
Nasrallah urged other Arab states to join Hamas's campaign, underscoring the collective benefits of a Hamas triumph.
"A victory for Hamas is in everyone's interest. It is not true that if Hamas wins, Iran wins," he argued. "If Hamas wins, it is a victory for the Palestinians and for all the states in the region. It is a national interest for Egypt, a national interest for Jordan, a national interest for Syria – and the same goes for all the other states, including Lebanon."
He stated that Arab and Islamic countries should at the very least act to bring an end to the attacks on Gaza, and he called on them to sever diplomatic relations with Israel and to stop economic cooperation with it.
As Nasrallah was speaking in Lebanon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the Shiite cleric and military commander against opening a second front on Israel's northern border.
"I say again to our enemies, do not miscalculate—any mistake will cost you dearly, a price beyond your belief," he said.
"Our victory will be decisive and clear—it will send a message to our enemies that will resonate for generations. We will not relent until we have achieved our defined goals: the dismantling of Hamas, the return of the captives and the restoration of security for our citizens."