TPC Staff
The Palestine Chronicle / September 19, 2024
Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah delivered his first address following a major cyber-terror attack in Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday, which targeted thousands of wireless devices used by the group.
According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, 32 people were killed and thousands wounded in the attack.
In his speech, Nasrallah warned that Israel would face severe consequences and just retribution, whether anticipated or not.
Nasrallah described the attacks as unprecedented in the history of the Lebanese resistance, stating that Israel “deliberately aimed to kill 4,000 people in a single minute.”
He said that “what happened was a major terrorist operation, and we will define the events of Tuesday and Wednesday as massacres.”
Nasrallah refrained from revealing details about Hezbollah’s planned response, stating: “The news is in what you will see, not in what you will hear and we keep this within the tightest circle.”
Victories and setbacks
Nasrallah acknowledged that Hezbollah suffered a significant security and humanitarian setback, unlike anything it had experienced before.
“There is no doubt that we were subjected to a major blow, both in terms of security and humanity, unprecedented in the history of the resistance in Lebanon, and also unprecedented in Lebanon, the conflict with the zionist enemy, and on a global scale,” he said.
However, he assured that this severe blow did not weaken the group’s resolve, asserting that “war is a cycle,” with both victories and setbacks. “One day for us from our enemy, and one day for our enemy from us,” Nasrallah said.
Hezbollah’s leader revealed that investigations into the attacks are nearly complete and that the group is close to confirming the circumstances surrounding the bombings. Once confirmed, appropriate actions will be taken.
“We will reach definitive results regarding the explosions in a short time, and appropriate measures will be taken accordingly,” Nasrallah said.
‘Whatever the sacrifices’
Nasrallah suggested that the primary aim of the Israeli attack was to pressure Hezbollah into withdrawing its support for the resistance in Gaza. He mentioned that messages were sent through official and unofficial channels indicating that the objective was to silence the Lebanese front.
“The enemy attempted to separate the Lebanese front from the Gaza front and threatened war,” Hezbollah’s secretary general said, adding:
“All of this is aimed at pressuring the Lebanese state, the Lebanese people, and the resistance in Lebanon to stop this front. The massacres of Tuesday and Wednesday were part of the pressure to stop the front.”
“After Tuesday’s massacre, we received messages that the goal of this strike was for us to stop fighting on the Lebanese front, and if we do not stop, they have more to unleash,” he said.
However, Nasrallah declared that the Lebanese front will not stop until the end of the Israeli genocide on Gaza.
“Whatever the sacrifices, consequences, possibilities, and the future of the region, the resistance in Lebanon will not stop supporting and standing by the people of Gaza—this is the first response,” he said.
Nasrallah noted that the resistance’s continued support for Gaza, coupled with the high morale of its members, showed that Israel had failed to achieve its objectives of weakening and exhausting the group through large-scale bombings. He stated that the attacks had not affected Hezbollah’s operational readiness, which remains high in anticipation of further military action.
He also responded to the Israeli government’s goal of returning northern residents to their homes, a new objective added to the three war goals initially declared at the beginning of the conflict in Gaza.
‘A great challenge’
Addressing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Nasrallah asserted, “you will not be able to bring the northern residents back to the north. This is a great challenge between us and you.”
He emphasized that the only way for settlers to return would be for Israel to halt its aggression against Gaza and the West Bank.
Nasrallah warned that any escalation would only worsen the situation, making it impossible for displaced residents to return.
Nasrallah said that an Israeli invasion of Lebanese territory is not a threat but a “historic opportunity” for Hezbollah, which would have significant implications.
“The security belt will turn into hell for your army if you decide to come to our land. You will face hundreds of those who were wounded on Tuesday and Wednesday, as they have become even more determined,” he said.
Nasrallah also threatened Israel with severe punishment in response to the attack masterminded by the “enemy’s foolish, narcissistic, reckless leadership” which “will lead this entity into the abyss.”
“There is no doubt that the aggression that occurred is massive and unprecedented, and it will be met with severe retribution and just punishment, from where they expect or do not expect it,” Hezbollah’s leader warned.
