Hezbollah’s Chief threatens Israel, pledges unwavering support for Gaza

Shafaq News/ Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Thursday denounced a series of deadly explosions as "terrorist acts," declaring that the group's resistance against Israel would continue, despite mounting pressures. The explosions, which Nasrallah blamed on Israel, have rattled Lebanon, leaving the country on high alert amid escalating tensions in the region.

Deadly Explosions in Lebanon

Two consecutive explosions, on Tuesday and Wednesday, struck multiple regions across Lebanon, including Beirut, killing 32 people and injuring more than 3,450 others. most of the casualties were members of Hezbollah.

Nasrallah revealed that the attacks targeted 4,000 pagers used by the group, allegedly in a coordinated effort by Israel to cause mass civilian casualties.

Addressing the explosions in a televised speech, Nasrallah stated, "Israel targeted these pagers, aiming to cause mass casualties among civilians within a minute." He added that Israel’s second strike was carried out "without regard for who was carrying the devices." Among the victims were women, children, and civilians, Nasrallah said.

Describing the attacks as "massacres," he said, "By God's grace, much suffering was averted. Many injuries were minor, and some pagers were turned off, while others had not yet been distributed." Nasrallah claimed Israel had intended to kill 5,000 people in just two minutes and called the incident an unprecedented breach of security and humanity.

Despite the blow to Hezbollah's operations, Nasrallah emphasized that the group remains resilient. "This is part of a war where sometimes we have the upper hand, and sometimes the enemy does," he said.

He also announced the formation of multiple internal investigation committees to examine all aspects of the incident, stating that the group had already reached "a near-definitive conclusion" about the cause of the explosions.

Unyielding Support for Gaza

Nasrallah rejected Israel’s alleged efforts to force Hezbollah to withdraw its support for Gaza amid the ongoing conflict there. He dismissed any notion of surrender, saying, "The goal is to make our resistance give up, to pull us out of the battle and force us to abandon Gaza, its people, and their resistance."

Hezbollah, which has long supported Palestinian factions fighting Israel, will continue its operations on Lebanon’s southern front, Nasrallah vowed. He revealed that after the first explosion on Tuesday, Hezbollah received diplomatic messages urging the group to cease its military activities. However, Nasrallah firmly rejected these overtures, stating, "If the aim is to neutralize the front, Israel should not dream of that."

"No matter the sacrifices, no matter the consequences, the resistance in Lebanon will not stop supporting the people of Gaza, the people of the West Bank, and the oppressed in that holy land," he declared, reiterating Hezbollah’s commitment to the Palestinian cause.

Hezbollah’s Resilience

In his speech, Nasrallah dismissed any claims that the explosions had weakened Hezbollah. He referred to Israel as "the foolish enemy" and asserted that it had failed to achieve its objectives through its declared war. "Our structure is large, strong, and cohesive, and our preparations are high," he said. "Let the enemy know that what happened will not affect our will or presence on the front lines but will, in fact, strengthen our resolve."

Nasrallah issued a stern warning to Israel, stating that it would be impossible to restore the northern settlements near the Lebanese border unless the ongoing aggression in Gaza and the West Bank ceased. "Even a total war will not bring the settlers back to the north," he warned.

Regarding the possibility of retaliation for the recent explosions, Nasrallah was evasive but resolute, stating that Hezbollah reserves the right to respond at a time and place of its choosing. "No time or location will be disclosed for now," he added, leaving open the possibility of future military action.

In a final, defiant remark, Nasrallah dared Israel to enter Lebanese territory. "If the enemy dares to step onto our land, hell awaits them," he declared, signaling that Hezbollah’s resistance to Israeli aggression remains undeterred.