Israel Strikes Southern Lebanon Following Hezbollah Leader's Condemnation of Deadly Device Attacks

 

 

In his first public address following a series of deadly attacks in Lebanon, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah condemned Israel for crossing "all limits, rules, and red lines" with the explosions that killed at least 37 people and injured over 3,000.

 He referred to the attacks as a "massacre" and a severe blow to Hezbollah, though he emphasized that the group's ability to command and communicate remains intact.

Nasrallah described the strikes as war crimes or even a declaration of war, promising a just punishment, but did not outline the specifics of Hezbollah's response.

 He reaffirmed that cross-border attacks on Israel would persist unless there is a ceasefire in Gaza and warned that displaced residents in northern Israel would not be allowed to return until the violence ends.

While Nasrallah's rhetoric was forceful, his tone suggested a careful approach to avoid escalating into a full-scale war with Israel, 

which he acknowledged would have devastating consequences not only for Hezbollah but also for Lebanon, a nation already grappling with economic and political crises. An investigation into how the attacks happened is underway.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, in a forceful speech, blamed Israel for recent attacks targeting pagers and walkie-talkies, which resulted in the deaths of at least 37 people and left over 3,000 injured. 

Nasrallah condemned the strikes for their disregard of innocent lives, including children, and accused Israel of attempting to kill 4,000 people simultaneously. He revealed that approximately 4,000 pagers were targeted in Tuesday's attack, 

with additional fatalities yet to be included in the official death toll.

Nasrallah further claimed that Israel's intent was to kill around 1,000 more people in Wednesday’s assault, labeling both attacks as "Tuesday's massacre"

 and "Wednesday's massacre." He described the acts as "sheer terrorism," calling them either war crimes or declarations of war. He credited divine intervention for preventing even greater casualties, 

noting that some pagers were either out of service or still in storage at the time of the attack.

The Hezbollah leader emphasized that the attacks represented a grave escalation, though he did not provide specifics on how Hezbollah plans to respond, reiterating his vow for "just punishment.

Following the first wave of deadly pager explosions, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s much-anticipated speech was announced, only to be further complicated by a second wave of blasts the following day. 

A high-ranking source close to Hezbollah explained that the reason for the lack of a preview into the speech’s content is because the situation remains active and evolving.

The source added that Nasrallah’s tone would be “much more severe” than usual, as he faces the daunting task of reassuring different factions of Hezbollah, as well as the group's supporters,

 that the situation is under control. Nasrallah is expected to address the hundreds of young Hezbollah members who have suffered life-altering injuries from the explosions, with several losing their eyes and hands.

According to insiders, this speech is among Nasrallah’s most challenging, given the widespread devastation within the group.

 Normally, such a pivotal address would be delivered in one of Hezbollah's venues in Dahieh, a suburb of Beirut, in front of hundreds of supporters and senior officials.

 However, due to heightened security concerns not just in Hezbollah-controlled areas but across Lebanon, the speech will only be broadcast on television, without a physical gathering.