Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah issued a warning on Friday that a wider regional escalation could occur if Israel continues its war in Gaza. This statement came during Nasrallah’s first speech since the start of the war. Tens of thousands of people gathered at rallies organized by Hezbollah to honor fallen fighters and watched the highly anticipated televised address. Nasrallah emphasized that all scenarios are possible on the Lebanese southern front and that the situation in Lebanon will depend on the developments in Gaza. He called on Israel to cease its attacks on Gaza to prevent a larger regional conflict.
Throughout the war, Hezbollah has taken strategic actions to keep Israel’s military occupied on the Lebanon border without escalating to a full-scale war. Nasrallah expressed support for the Palestinian group Hamas and praised their attack on southern Israel on October 7th. He attributed the success of the operation to the careful planning and implementation by Palestinians.
Nasrallah criticized Israel for pursuing unattainable goals in the conflict and blamed the United States for the war and the high number of civilian casualties in Gaza. He stated that Israel could only achieve its objectives through negotiation and urged the Arab world to recall their ambassadors from Israel and cut off oil, gas, and food supplies.
Nasrallah concluded his speech by emphasizing Hezbollah’s commitment to end the war and ensure the triumph of the resistance. He described the victory of Gaza as a victory for the Palestinian people, which would benefit Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. The speech followed a significant escalation in clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces on the border.