BEIRUT – Lebanese terrorist organization Hezbollah took its time to respond to the past month of bloodletting in the Gaza Strip which has turned the Middle East into a tinder box.
And when its leader Hassan Nasrallah spoke, what he did not say was as important as what he said.
There was no declaration of all-out war on Israel. At least, not now.
Few in Lebanon had expected one.
Nasrallah knows there is little appetite in this country for another war with its powerful neighbor. The last one was in 2006.
Lebanese have troubles enough, with a shattered economy and a bankrupt political system.
That is a powerful deterrent, along with the two American aircraft carriers recently deployed to the eastern Mediterranean.
Hassan Nasrallah addressed the segregated rally – thousands strong – by video link from an undisclosed location.
It was not just his supporters who were hanging on his every word. His speech was required listening in Tel Aviv and in Washington. What Hezbollah does – or does not do – could be crucial now.
The Hezbollah leader declared that “all options are open,” adding that “the situation could escalate militarily at any time”.
That would depend, he said, on Israel’s actions in Gaza, and its approach towards Lebanon.
Hezbollah is already stepping up the pressure on Israel with an escalation in cross-border attacks, which has forced the Israeli army to divert troops to the area.
But Hamas wants more from its ally.
At times, the fiery cleric sounded almost defensive about what his fighters have done so far.
“What’s taking place on our front is very important and significant,” he said.
“Those who claim that Hezbollah should engage swiftly in an all-out war with the enemy might see what is taking place on the border as minimal. But if look objectively, we will find it sizeable.”
He said 57 Hezbollah fighters had been killed in recent weeks.
Predictably, he left the door open for a further escalation.
“I assure you this will not be the end,” he said, “this will not be sufficient.”
Hassan Nasrallah insisted that the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas on Israel were a “100% Palestinian operation”, carried out in great secrecy, concealed even from Hamas’s allies.
“It has no relation to any regional or international issues,” he said, in effect claiming he did not know and neither did Iran. (BBC)
