Hezbollah Threatens US and Israel as Gaza Conflict Escalates

The leader of the pro-Iranian Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, has blamed the United States for the ongoing war in Gaza and claimed that “all options” were on the table for a widening of the conflict on the Lebanese-Israeli front. In his first speech since the start of the Hamas war against Israel on October 7, he asserted that his movement “was not afraid of the fleet” sent by the United States to the Mediterranean and was ready to “face it.” Washington has warned Hezbollah not to “seek to benefit” from the war between Israel and Hamas.

Nasrallah’s speech was highly anticipated as it was speculated that he might drag Lebanon directly into the conflict. Hezbollah fighters had already engaged with Israel at the border between the two countries the day after the war began, but the fighting has remained limited. Commending Hamas’ “heroic” battle in Gaza, Nasrallah claimed that the Palestinian Islamist movement, Hezbollah’s ally, had made the decision to wage war against Israel on its own and had not informed Hezbollah or Iran.

He blamed the United States for the Gaza war, asserting that Israel was merely a “tool” of execution. He further claimed that “America is preventing a ceasefire and the cessation of aggression” in Gaza. Nasrallah warned the United States that if it wants to prevent a regional war, it must quickly stop the aggression in Gaza. The war was triggered by the unprecedented attack by Hamas on Israel, resulting in at least 1,400 deaths, mostly civilians.

Regarding the Lebanese front, Nasrallah stated that Hezbollah had entered the battle to support Hamas on October 8. He emphasized that this front aimed to support Gaza and was engaging a third of the Israeli army. With Hezbollah’s significant arsenal, he announced that they had lost 54 fighters in clashes with the Israeli army in the border regions. Nasrallah considered an escalation or a total war on this front to be possible and warned Israel to prepare for it. He stated that “all options” were on the table.

Nasrallah warned Israel that any attack on Lebanon or a preventive operation would be the biggest mistake of their existence. He also acknowledged the mobilization of Iran’s allies across the region to support Hamas, including Iraqi and Yemeni forces who claimed to have launched attacks on Israel.