Nasrallah ushers in a new phase, asserts retaliation is inevitable

The Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah confirmed on Thursday that the Israeli attack on Hareit Hreik in the southern suburbs of Beirut was an aggression targeting civilian buildings and killing civilians, not just an assassination operation.

The aggression resulted in the martyrdom of five civilians, three women, and two children, in addition to Iranian military advisor Milad Bidi.

In a speech delivered at a large funeral ceremony held for Hezbollah’s assassinated top military leader Sayyed Fouad Shokor, Sayyed Nasrallah said that the Israeli regime tried to label its aggression as a “response” to the incident in Majdal Shams.

He reiterated that the Resistance has rejected this accusation and denied responsibility after a thorough investigation, adding that “we have the courage to take responsibility if it was our attack, even if it was a mistake, and we have precedents in this matter.”

In this context, Sayyed Nasrallah also emphasized that what the Israeli occupation committed “is not a reaction to what happened in Majdal Shams, but rather a claim, deception, and part of the war and battle,” pointing out that the occupation “appointed itself as prosecutor, judge, and executioner.”

Hezbollah’s chief pointed out that “Israel cannot accept the hypothesis that the incident in Majdal Shams was due to an Israeli interceptor missile” despite the massive evidence suggesting it, which was even put forward by numerous military experts.

He affirmed that “the aim of accusing the Resistance is to incite sectarian strife between the [Druze] people of the occupied Golan and [Hezbollah] and behind it the Shiite sect, in order to undermine the most significant achievements of the al-Aqsa Flood” of unity and solidarity among Arabs and people of the region.

However, Sayyed Nasrallah confirmed that this strife was quelled and disabled “thanks to the awareness and firm positions of the leaders of the Druze community,” extending his gratitude to the political and spiritual leaders of the Druze for their stance.

Elsewhere in his address, the leader of Hezbollah extended condolences to the Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas and the al-Qassam Brigades on the martyrdom of the head of the political bureau of the movement, Ismail Haniyeh, and his companion, Wasim Abu Shabaan, in the Iranian capital, Tehran, as a result of an Israeli attack.

The assassination of Haniyeh matter of Honor to Iran

Sayyed Nasrallah emphasized that the Islamic Republic considers the killing of martyr Haniyeh as more significant than the aggression on its consulate in Syria.

He said that in addition to it being an infringement on Iran’s national security and sovereignty, “the most important aspect is that Iran considers it to be an attack on its honor,” pointing out the statement of Iran’s leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei, who considered that the Israeli regime assassinated a “guest of the Islamic Republic”.

“Do they imagine they can kill the leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Iran will remain silent?,” Sayyed Nasrallah questioned, emphasizing that “Israel” has crossed major red lines.

Sayyed Nasrallah continued: “For Israelis celebrating that they have assassinated Resistance prominent leaders in Beirut and Tehran and earlier attack Hodeidah… you will cry a lot because you do not realize which red lines you have crossed and [what] you have committed.”

The Secretary-General underscored that the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon entered the battle in support of Gaza “with faith in its morality, legitimacy, and importance,” asserting that the Resistance “was not and will not be surprised by any price we might pay” while in this fight.

He added, “We are paying the price for supporting Gaza, and this is not the first [price we had to pay]; hundreds of our martyrs have fallen, including leaders, and we accept the price of the martyrdom of Sayyed Mohsen and those with him.”

A new phase of operations

Announcing a new phase of the confrontation, Sayyed Nasrallah said: “We are facing a major battle where matters have surpassed the issue of support fronts,” announcing, “We are in an open battle on all fronts, and it has entered a new phase.” He emphasized that the escalation of the new phase “depends on the reactions of the [Israeli] occupation.”

Reaffirming the Resistance Axis’ position announced on the day of the Israeli war on Gaza, Sayyed Nasrallah said that those who want to spare the region a larger and worse escalation, “must compel Israel to stop its aggression on the Gaza Strip,” and that “there will be no solution except by stopping the aggression.”

Following the Israeli aggression on Beirut, Hezbollah did not carry out any operations.

Sayyed Nasrallah announced that the Lebanese support front would return actively to what it was by Friday morning, explaining that attacks were paused until concluding the funeral processions of the martyred Hezbollah leader and Lebanese civilians.

However, he emphasized that the operations have “nothing to do with the response to the [assasination] of martyr Shokor”.

Hezbollah’s chief revealed that the group has been contacted by countries and parties around the world to either talk it out of responding or threaten against it, adding that Hezbollah made it clear that this is not up for debate.

He declared that the Israeli regime and its backers “must await our inevitable response” and that “there is no debate or argument about this.”

“The decision is now in the hands of the frontline, its circumstances, and the opportunities it offers. We are looking for a solid and well-studied response, not a formal one.”

Resistance grows with its martyrs

Speaking about martyred leader Sayyed Shokor, Hezbollah’s chief said that the assassinated commander “oversaw the development of capabilities considered today among the most important within the Resistance’s arsenal.”

Sayyed Nasrallah confirmed, as evident by history, “the assassination of leaders does not affect the Resistance,” noting that “experience shows that the Resistance grows and strengthens.”

He assured the supporters of the Resistance that “we quickly fill any void created by the martyrdom of one of our leaders,” pointing out that Hezbollah possesses “an excellent generation of leaders.”

The assassination of leaders “will increase our determination, resolve, and will, and make us hold firmly to the rightfulness of our choice.”