Russia's statement ab. Hezbollah in control 'a message to US, Israel'
3 Min Read
Russian sources confirm to Al Mayadeen that Moscow's earlier affirmations regarding Hezbollah's chain of command are a message directed not only at "Israel", but the United States as well.
-
Fighters from the Lebanese Hezbollah carry out a training exercise in Aaramta village in the Jezzine District, southern Lebanon, May 21, 2023. (AP)
Moscow's statement regarding Hezbollah's maintenance of its control and command "was not just a message to Israel, but to Washington as well," high-level Russian sources told Al Mayadeen.
The message, according to the sources, essentially tells "Israel" and Washington that the "internal Lebanese front is not only for their collaborators," without providing further clarification.
On Wednesday, Russia's Foreign Ministry stated that Hezbollah is still organized and has not lost its chain of command, despite all the Israeli attacks, knowing that these attacks, according to Moscow, are aimed at stoking an armed struggle throughout the Middle East.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told reporters that according to Russian assessments, "Hezbollah, including the military wing, has not lost its chain of command and is demonstrating organization."
Zakharova accused the West, particularly the United States and Britain, of escalating the Middle East war and demonstrating hypocrisy by supporting "Israel", which has killed hundreds of civilians in Lebanon.
Russia accuses US of encouraging invasion of Lebanon
Last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the United States has encouraged "Israel" to expand its war zone into Lebanon by failing to condemn Tel Aviv's attempted ground invasion in southern Lebanon.
In a statement, the Russian top diplomat said, "Since Israel launched its ground invasion of Lebanon on the night of October 1, there has not been a single word of condemnation on behalf of the US administration about this act of aggression against a sovereign state," adding that "This way, Washington is actually encouraging its Middle East ally to keep expanding the war zone."
According to Lavrov, who highlighted the "tragic and unacceptable developments" related to the war, which the Russian Federation called a "conflict" between Arabs and the Israeli occupation, particularly in locations such as Lebanon, Yemen, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, Sudan, and other hotspots in Africa, there is a crucial reality to be acknowledged, "Security must either be equal and indivisible for all, or there will be none."
In this context, Lavrov also condemned the Israeli occupation's "routine" practice of assassinations which have been taking place in the Middle East and in Tehran, and also condemned "Israel's" attempted breach of Lebanese sovereignty on the southern Lebanon border as it seeks a ground invasion into Lebanon.
