In a dramatic escalation of tensions, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah issued a chilling warning on Wednesday, declaring that "no place" in Israel would be "spared our rockets" in the event of war. This statement came in response to Israel's announcement that it had approved plans for a major offensive in Lebanon, heightening fears that the ongoing Gaza conflict could spill over into a broader regional war.
Nasrallah's remarks, delivered in a fiery televised address, underscored the growing volatility along the Israel-Lebanon border. The Iran-backed Hezbollah has been launching near-daily rocket, drone, and missile attacks on Israel since October 7, following a brutal assault by its ally, Hamas.
In a move that further raised the stakes, Nasrallah also issued a stark warning to Cyprus, threatening the island nation if it allowed its airports or military bases to be used by Israel to launch attacks on Lebanon. Cyprus, a Mediterranean island nation with historical ties to Greece, hosts two British military bases, including a key airbase on sovereign British territory. Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides quickly denied any involvement in the conflict, emphasizing that Cyprus is "part of the solution" and highlighting its role in facilitating a humanitarian corridor to Gaza recognized by the international community.
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— Liza Rosen (@LizaRosen0000) June 20, 2024
Massive Escalation: Lebanon's Hizbullah declares war on Israel in order to kill Jews in the name of Islam.
As you can see in the video, Hizbullah Leader Hassan Nasrallah declares that Lebanon's Muslims: "Will Target All of Israel’s Beaches, Ports, and…
The escalation in rhetoric and actions has intensified fears of a full-blown war between Hezbollah and Israel. Recently, Hezbollah released surveillance drone footage of strategic sites within Israel, further inflaming tensions. Last week saw a significant uptick in cross-border clashes, with Hezbollah launching dozens of rockets into Israel, prompting a swift and lethal response from the Israeli military, which targeted and eliminated one of Hezbollah's senior commanders in an airstrike.
The relentless barrage of Hezbollah rockets has rendered much of northern Israel uninhabitable, forcing nearly 100,000 residents to flee their homes. The situation has been exacerbated by forest fires sparked by incendiary drones launched by the Lebanese terror group, leading to additional evacuations and widespread devastation.
The Cypriot Foreign Minister responded to Nasrallah: "Any attack on Cypriot soil will endanger the fate of Lebanon, we will join Israel. If necessary, our planes will be alongside the planes of the Israeli Air Force." pic.twitter.com/YSxR54A84l
— Israel Kicks A** (@Israelkicksass) June 19, 2024
Nasrallah also claimed to have intelligence suggesting that Israel is conducting military training in Cyprus and using Cypriot airports for operations against Lebanon. He revealed that Lebanese officials had raised these concerns with President Christodoulides during his recent visit to Lebanon. Nasrallah's ominous warning was clear: if Cyprus allows its airbases to be used for strikes against Lebanon, it will be dragged into the conflict.
This latest development underscores the fragile and combustible nature of the current situation, with the potential for a devastating regional conflict looming large. As the rhetoric and military actions continue to escalate, the international community watches with bated breath, hoping to avert a catastrophic war.
Nasrallah also declared that while his group does not seek a total war with Israel, they are more than prepared to engage in a prolonged and wider confrontation with their southern neighbor. Nasrallah boldly stated, "Let Israel wait for us by land, air, and sea in case of a greater war," emphasizing Hezbollah's formidable military capabilities.
Following Nasrallah's speech yesterday, with the Hezbollah leader threatening Cyprus with a missile attack if they render any assistance to Israel, it looks like Iran is forcing a regional war.
— 🇮🇱 Phillip Pasmanick🇮🇱🎗️ (@PhillipInIsrael) June 20, 2024
- Meanwhile, the White House & NATO are silent as their allies are threatened. pic.twitter.com/G5cCePrO4F
Nasrallah reiterated that Hezbollah’s condition for ceasing hostilities along the Lebanon-Israel border is peace in the besieged Palestinian enclave of Gaza. "A ceasefire in Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen requires one thing: an end to the war in Gaza," he declared, referencing the regional hostilities that erupted after Hamas’s deadly October 7 attack and Israel’s subsequent retaliatory offensive in Gaza. "We will continue to support Gaza, and we are ready for anything."
These provocative comments came a day after Israel’s military revealed that senior officers had approved "operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon," signaling a potential escalation in the conflict. Israeli officials have consistently maintained that they are prepared to take military action if diplomatic resolutions fail, and the military has been increasing troop readiness in the field.
On Tuesday, Hezbollah, one of the world’s most heavily armed non-state actors, released a nine-minute video showing surveillance drone footage of various sites in Israel, including the port in the northern city of Haifa, which lies about 30km from the Lebanese border. The undated footage also included images of other military infrastructure, underscoring Hezbollah's extensive surveillance capabilities.
Hezbollah is crushing the north & especially #Kiryat_Shmona. @POTUS emissary Amos Hochstein has already skipped several times failed in an attempt to cause #Hezbollah to withdraw. Hence, Israel is on the way to ground entry into #Lebanon. #Nasrallah eat the porridge you cooked! pic.twitter.com/5fCYVuNjY4
— Shmuel Shalom שמואל שלום سمؤال عبد السلام (@ShmuelShalom) June 19, 2024
In his Wednesday speech, Nasrallah boasted that the drone footage was "proof that we have the capabilities" to target anywhere in Israel. He claimed that Hezbollah had gathered hours of surveillance footage and had "many more drones" flying over Israeli territory.
In response, Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, asserted that Israel is "preparing for every scenario" after meeting with the head of the military’s northern command. "We must all remember that Hezbollah started a war against us on October 8, a day after Hamas [attacked Israel], and since then, it has not stopped [attacking Israel]," Gallant stated. "We have an obligation to change the situation in the north and to ensure the safe return of our citizens to their homes."
The escalating rhetoric and military preparations on both sides point to a potentially explosive conflict, with both Hezbollah and Israel poised for a broader and more devastating confrontation. As the situation intensifies, the international community watches anxiously, hoping to prevent a catastrophic regional war.
