Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, in a speech that later doubled as a eulogy, said Israel is too dependent on its allies to remain relevant, even as the Israeli military prepares to crush potential retaliation by the terror group.
“Israel, fearing the Iranian or Hezbollah response, is appealing to the United States and Western countries, proving that its deterrence capability has diminished, as well as its ability to defend itself,” Nasrallah said during Tuesday's eulogy for recently deceased commander Fuad Shukr.
“The Israeli danger cannot be met by playing ostrich and running away from the storm, because the enemy fights without red lines,” he said, according to the Lebanese newspaper L'Orient Le Jour. “What is needed is confrontation and confrontation, not hesitation and submission.”
Shukr's funeral took place a week after he was killed during an Israeli strike that was itself aimed at eliminating the man responsible for the attack that killed a dozen children in the Golan Heights. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) jets flew over Beirut just before Nasrallah's speech, which he used to highlight what he saw as Israel's “petty” nature.
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Hezbollah supporters watch a speech delivered by Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on a screen during a ceremony to mark the death of a senior Hezbollah commander who was killed last week by an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon, in the Dahiyeh suburb, south of Beirut, Lebanon, June 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
Nasrallah also called for “patience” as Hezbollah and Iran plan their responses to Israel, but also urged other Arab nations to join the fight against Israel.
“We are in a battle that has an end. We call on the resistance in Gaza and the West Bank to show more patience and firmness,” Nasrallah said. “We call on the support fronts in Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen to continue supporting Gaza despite the sacrifices. We call on the Arab countries to become aware of the danger threatening the region.”
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A funeral ceremony is held for Yasir Nemir Karnish, former bodyguard of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in clashes on the Israel-Lebanon border in Beirut, Lebanon, on July 10, 2024. Karnish's relatives and Hezbollah supporters attended the ceremony. (Houssam Shbaro/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Israel has stressed its preparations for any possible response to Shukr's death or the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, for which Iran blames Israel.
Israeli security authorities on Tuesday ordered residents in areas within 10 miles of the border with Lebanon to remain in protected areas due to expected Hezbollah attacks, according to Israeli news agency TPS-IL.
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Hezbollah fighters and mourners attend the funeral of slain supreme commander Fuad Shukr in the southern suburbs of Beirut on August 1, 2024. Hezbollah on August 1 mourned the death of Shukr, whose body was recovered from the rubble of a July 30 Israeli strike in southern Beirut that also killed five civilians — three women and two children — and wounded dozens, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, as fears grew of a wider conflict in the region. (Khaled Desouki/AFP via Getty Images)
Following Nasrallah's speech, the IDF released a video on X titled: “Ending the Hezbollah Threat, One by One. Here's How the IDF Eliminates Hezbollah's Deadliest Commanders to Protect Civilians.” The video shows several high-ranking Hezbollah terrorists being eliminated by Israeli forces.
“The Israel Defense Forces are determined, consistent and powerful,” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant wrote on social media platform X following Nasrallah's comments. “They are ready for defense and offense.”
In comments made during an on-camera discussion with Israeli fighter pilots and Air Force service members, Gallant said he has coordinated with U.S. CENTCOM Commander Gen. Mike Kurilla and U.S. Defense Secretary Gen. Lloyd Austin and asserted that the United States remains committed to “supporting and working together – cooperation between Israel and the United States is critical to our readiness.”
“I look back and see what you have accomplished in the month of July alone: a stunning and successful attack on the port of Houdeidah, and you eliminated Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif, along with Khan Younis Brigade commander Rafa Salama,” Gallant told troops.
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“After they killed 12 of our children in Majdal Shams, they eliminated Muhsan, Hezbollah's military chief and Nasrallah's right-hand man,” Gallant said. “They did this using accurate intelligence and powerful capabilities.”
“The values that drive us are courage, determination and perseverance,” Gallant added.
