Celebratory gunfire filled the air in Beirut as thousands gathered in a square in the southern neighborhoods of the Lebanese capital to watch a televised speech by Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the militant Lebanese Hezbollah group.
In his much-anticipated speech, Nasrallah didn’t hold back, taking the opportunity to taunt Israel during the broadcast via video-link. This marked his first public address since the recent Israel-Hamas conflict began, ignited by the deadly incursion of Palestinian militants into southern Israel on October 7.
Despite warnings from the United States to stay out of the Israel-Hamas conflict, Nasrallah conveyed that his militia remains undeterred. He made it clear that Hezbollah is prepared for any scenario. He even referred to U.S. military deployments in the region, stating, “Your fleets in the Mediterranean…will not intimidate us.”
Nasrallah emphasized that Hezbollah is deeply involved in cross-border fighting with Israel, leading to concerns of further escalation. However, he stopped short of declaring full engagement in the Israel-Hamas war in his speech.
Nasrallah highlighted and praised the recent attack by Hamas in southern Israel, an operation in which the militants targeted farming villages, towns, and military posts, resulting in over 1,400 casualties in Israel. He attributed this significant attack to Palestinian planning and implementation, suggesting that Hezbollah was not directly involved.
Furthermore, Nasrallah underlined the weakness he perceived in Israel, stating that it had failed to achieve any significant milestones even after a month of war. He described the events of October 7 as proof of Israel’s vulnerability.
The speech had many hanging on to Nasrallah’s every word, as they anxiously await the unfolding events in this region of tension and conflict.