Hezbollah Vows Israel Will Pay High Price for Ground Offensive in Gaza Strip
A top official with Hezbollah has vowed that Israel will pay a high price whenever it starts a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. Sheikh Naim Kassem, the deputy leader of Hezbollah, made these comments as Israel shelled and made drone strikes in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah fired rockets and missiles toward Israel. This escalation of violence comes as exchanges of fire along the Lebanon-Israel border have picked up in the two weeks since the attack by Hamas that killed over 1,400 civilians and soldiers in southern Israel.
Hezbollah’s main objective in heating up the Lebanon-Israel border is to weaken the Israeli enemy and let them know that they are ready. Hamas officials have also stated that if Israel starts a ground offensive in Gaza, Hezbollah will join the fighting. There are concerns that Iran-backed Hezbollah, with its vast arsenal of weapons, including tens of thousands of rockets and missiles, might try to open a new front in the Israel-Hamas war with a large-scale attack on northern Israel.
Sheikh Naim Kassem emphasized that Hezbollah is already affecting the course of the conflict by heating up the Lebanon-Israel border and keeping three Israeli army divisions tied up in the north instead of preparing to fight in Gaza. He stated, “Do you believe that if you try to crush the Palestinian resistance, other resistance fighters in the region will not act? We are in the heart of the battle today. We are making achievements through this battle.”
The escalation of violence has led to casualties on both sides. Hezbollah reported that six of its fighters were killed on Saturday, marking the highest daily toll since the violence began two weeks ago. The Israeli military also announced the evacuation of a border city where three residents were wounded in the crossfire.
The situation has intensified with reports of an Israeli drone firing a missile deep inside Lebanon, far from the border. There have also been loud explosions along the border, close to the Mediterranean coast. Hezbollah claimed that its fighters attacked several Israeli positions and targeted an Israeli infantry force, scoring direct hits. In response, Israel shelled several villages and intensified shelling around an Israeli army post across from the Lebanese village of Yaroun.
Despite foreign dignitaries visiting Lebanon and urging Hezbollah not to participate in the conflict, Sheikh Naim Kassem made it clear that they are part of the battle. He stated, “We tell those who are contacting us, ‘Stop the (Israeli) aggression so that its (conflict) repercussions and possibility of expansion stops.'”
Looking ahead, Sheikh Naim Kassem expressed confidence in the preparedness of Hamas and resistance fighters in Gaza, stating that an Israeli ground invasion would be their graveyard. This suggests that Hezbollah and other resistance groups are ready to defend Gaza against any Israeli offensive.
The situation in the region remains tense as both sides continue to exchange fire and escalate the conflict. The international community is closely monitoring the situation and calling for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further loss of life and destruction. However, with Hezbollah’s involvement and their determination to weaken the Israeli enemy, the conflict shows no signs of abating.