Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in an address given at a ceremony held on the occasion of Liberation Day on Tuesday that Hezbollah will target all Israeli warships and trade ships heading to Israel if Lebanon’s coast was under siege.
“We are capable of targeting and hitting any [Israeli] vessel that heads to any port on the Palestinian shore. We are determined to enter this new field of confrontation should our coastline be put under siege,” Nasrallah said
In February, Nasrallah threatened to strike Tel Aviv’s infrastructure and Ben Gurion International Airport in retaliation against any Israeli attack on Lebanon’s infrastructure.
“The Lebanese are anxious, and we want to reassure [them], but I do not want to reassure Israel,” he added.
The Hezbollah chief also said that Tel Aviv should be scared, adding that “we should have faith that we will win the next war [we face].”
He said that Israel’s claim last month that Syria was supplying Hezbollah with Scud missiles “is meant to raise $250 million [for Israel] given by the US to build a rocket shield system.”
“Israelis are scared of going to war, and it is unlikely that Israel would wage war against Lebanon [anytime soon],” Nasrallah added.
He commented on Israel’s military Turning Point 4 drill, saying that “the Jewish State wants to reassure [its people] and tell them that they are strong and ready to confront any possible war.”
The drills kicked off on Sunday, including a series of alerts as part of field training exercises that are meant to assess Israel’s capacity to handle emergencies.
“Carry out your drills, but when rockets shower the occupied territories, let us see how [your] drills would have benefited you,” Nasrallah said addressing Tel Aviv.
He also said that the Ministerial Statement clause, which stipulates the Lebanese army, people and Resistance are all legitimate means to face the recurrent Israeli threats, “represents the official Lebanese position.”
He added that President Michel Sleiman, who reiterated his commitment to the clause on Monday, expresses the position of the majority of the Lebanese.
This comes after Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said on Tuesday that the president should only express positions backed by all the Lebanese.
Nasrallah gave his blessings to “all Lebanese, Arabs, Muslims and the free people of the world” on the occasion of Liberation Day, which marks the 10th anniversary of Israel’s withdrawal from South Lebanon.
-NOW Lebanon
Related Articles:
Geagea says Sleiman is taking sides
Sleiman says introducing monitors to Lebanese-Syrian border is unacceptable
Israel kicks off “Turning Point 4” military drill
Peres accuses Syria of arming Hezbollah while talking peace
Nasrallah threatens to attack Israeli infrastructure if Tel Aviv strikes