Hezbollah leader threatens escalation in Israel-Hamas conflict
- Hassan Nasrallah stopped short of a declaration of war against Israel
- Hezbollah fighters have engaged Israeli soldiers on the Lebanese border
- Nasrallah said the group is "not scared" of U.S. warnings
Supporters of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group raise their fists and cheer as Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah appears via a video link, during a rally to commemorate Hezbollah fighters who were killed in South Lebanon last few weeks while fighting against the Israeli forces, in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. Nasrallah’s speech had been widely anticipated throughout the region as a sign of whether the Israel-Hamas conflict would spiral into a regional war. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
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(NewsNation) — In his first public remark since the Oct. 7 attack in Israel, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah threatened potential escalation, warning that those who do not want to see a regional war should stop Israel’s attacks in Gaza.
Nasrallah distanced Hezbollah from the Oct. 7 attack, stating Hamas planned and executed the operation on its own. In the speech, he did not declare war on Israel but referred to the Lebanese-Israel border as a front in the conflict and stated all options were on the table depending on the events in Gaza.
Hezbollah fighters have exchanged fire with Israeli soldiers but the group has not fully entered the conflict thus far. Also backed by Iran, Hezbollah is a more sophisticated group than Hamas with access to a large arsenal that includes precision-guided munitions.
The U.S. has warned Hezbollah against becoming involved in the fight, fearing the war could spiral into a larger regional conflict. The Pentagon has deployed additional troops to the region and stationed two aircraft carrier strike groups in the area to act as a deterrent to militant groups or countries that might enter the conflict on the side of Hamas.
Nasrallah dismissed the move, saying that U.S. threats have never scared the group. He accused the U.S. of running the war in Israel and suggested it should pay the price for the violence.
The Hezbollah leader said President Joe Biden had made a “fake argument that Hamas cut off children’s heads (without) evidence, but stayed silent for the thousands of children in Gaza who were decapitated and their limbs were torn apart” by Israeli bombing.
Nasrallah also stated anyone who wants to prevent a regional war should speed up efforts to stop Israel’s aggression in Gaza.
While Biden initially expressed strong backing for Israel’s actions in the days following the attack, his administration has begun to call for more restraint as Israeli airstrikes have hammered Gaza and troops have begun ground incursions into the territory.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday to urge the country to do more to protect civilians who are trapped in Gaza.
However, the U.S. has not called for Israel to accept a ceasefire, something Netanyahu has rejected on the grounds it would mean surrendering to Hamas.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
