Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah addressed Wednesday the war with Israel, stating in a speech that "an invasion of the Galilee remains on the table if the confrontation escalates."
Nasrallah also threatened Cyprus for the first time for allowing Israel to use its airports and bases for military exercises.
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Hassan Nasrallah, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi
(Photo: Jalaa Marey / AFP, IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
"The Cypriot government must be warned that opening Cypriot airports and bases for the Israeli enemy to target Lebanon means that the Cypriot government has become part of the war and the resistance (Hezbollah) will deal with it as part of the war," Nasrallah said.
Cyprus is not known to have offered any land or base facilities to the Israeli military, but has in the past allowed Israel to use its vast airspace - its flight information region (FIR) - to occasionally conduct air drills, but never during the war.
Nasrallah also claimed that "The enemy hides its losses on the northern front but has not been able to conceal the number of evacuees. Since the beginning of the war, there has been an attempt to underestimate the support fronts for Gaza. Forty-two settlements have been completely evacuated. We are not seeking a full-scale war with Israel."
Nasrallah referred to senior Hezbollah leader Taleb Abdullah, who was killed last week. "The loss of Hezbollah leaders strengthens our resolve. We are more determined to continue the campaign against Israel. Abu Taleb was the first field commander to open the support front for Gaza and the resistance," he said, adding: "Our front has a very important role. The battle on the Lebanon front has inflicted significant losses on the enemy. There are attempts to separate the front in Lebanon from Gaza."
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IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and Israeli Air Force Commander Tomer Bar
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
Meanwhile, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and Israeli Air Force Commander Tomer Bar visited the northern border and spoke to the troops. "The enemy will encounter our capabilities at the right time. We possess powerful capabilities, of which the enemy knows only a fraction," Halevi said.
"We have been engaged in a prolonged war for over eight months, and you have been engaged in a complex defense for over eight months. This defense provides a great deal of security to the citizens and the IDF, but we are not content with just that," he added.
"We have many forces in the IDF focused on attacking Hezbollah. Even today, we have already killed several of their operatives. Yesterday, Hezbollah released a video showcasing a capability we are familiar with, and we are preparing and building solutions to counter such capabilities and others that you will encounter when needed," Halevi said.
"We constantly remember that our mission is to return the residents to their communities and homes, with both security and stability, for the long term. The Northern Command and all its forces are working tirelessly to accomplish this mission effectively. What connects learning and the quality of our people is a very strong fighting spirit. We are highly determined and well-prepared today, at a very high level of readiness, and from here we will make the right decisions," he concluded.