Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah delivered a speech on the occasion of Ashura, addressing various aspects of the ongoing war at the southern border. He made many references to the Lebanese State, counting on its support to handle the consequences of the war his group is raging at the southern border.
Nasrallah emphasized the role of the Lebanese state in negotiations, stating that it is the only entity authorized to engage in such discussions. He dismissed speculations about a pre-existing agreement regarding the border situation as false. The future of the southern region, he asserted, would be determined based on the outcome of the ongoing conflict.
Notably, Nasrallah did not address why the Lebanese state was not given the authority to decide whether or not to participate in the war. He warned that if Israel continues targeting civilians in southern Lebanon, Hezbollah would retaliate by striking settlements that had not been previously targeted.
Regarding potential Israeli aggression against Lebanon, Nasrallah confidently stated that the threat of war did not intimidate Hezbollah. He claimed that Israel’s military strength had significantly diminished, referring to the losses they suffered in terms of personnel and weaponry. Nasrallah reiterated the connection between Lebanon’s fate and the situation in Gaza, asserting that the battlefront in the South would persist as long as the conflict in Gaza continued.
The Lebanese State was again sought after in another part of Nasrallah’s speech, when he pledged to act “hand in hand” with the people on the border areas in regards to compensations the State might provide them with. “We will rebuild our homes and villages,” he said.
Nasrallah also described the Lebanese battlefront as “a support front for the oppressed Palestinian people,” again linking the fate of Lebanon with that of Palestine.
