BREAKING

CENTCOM: US forces conducted the deliberate strikes to disrupt and degrade "Houthi" operations, such as attacks against US Navy warships and merchant vessels in the Southern Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb, and Gulf of Aden

Local source to Al Mayadeen: The Israeli occupation army has established 7 permanent posts in the "buffer zone" along the disengagement strip in the countrysides of Damascus, Daraa, and Quneitra

Local source to Al Mayadeen: Israeli occupation forces are firing randomly toward the forests of al-Hamidiyah and al-Hurriya in the Quneitra countryside

Sayyed Nasrallah: Lebanese front contingent on Gaza; all options open

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
13 Feb 2024 18:06
7 Shares

Hezbollah's Secretary-General discusses the most important regional developments on the "Day of the Wounded."

An illustration of the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Speaking at a ceremony honoring the wounded and detained members of the Resistance, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, highlighted the great victories and achievements that the movement has fulfilled thanks to the sacrifices offered by thousands.

This year's event coincides with a brutal ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, from which Sayyed Nasrallah started his address regarding developments.

Hezbollah's operations are in support of Palestine

Tuesday marks the 130th day of war on Gaza, in which the people of the besieged Strip remain steadfast in the face of occupiers.

Hezbollah's leader said that this "legendary steadfastness and heroism amount to a miracle, with utmost patience that is unparalleled in history," contrasting the occupation's continued "policy of impotence and failure."

Maintaining that Hezbollah launched military operations in support of Palestine on October 8, the Secretary-General explained, "What we are doing in Lebanon in supporting Gaza is an honest response to the moral and religious responsibility incumbent on each of us."

Confronting 'Israel' is in the region's interest

"What is happening to the people of Gaza must shake the conscience and shake the conscience of every person in the world."

On Hezbollah's role in resisting and defeating the occupation in Lebanon, Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that "Israel" is the root of all "crises in the region, and Lebanon’s history bears witness to that."

A "strong Israel" poses a threat to the region, while a "deterred and frightened Israel" eases the situation.

"In light of what is happening in Gaza, the national interest of the countries of the region comes [even] before the Palestinian interest, which is for Israel to be defeated," Sayyed Nasrallah stressed.

"Opening the Lebanese front with the occupation [promoted Lebanon's] national interest primarily to prevent an Israeli victory," he added.

On the Lebanese political scene

"The problem is that some people consider that what we are doing on the Lebanese front is useless, and this is disastrous," the leader said, referring to local critics of Hezbollah's continued support for Palestine.

"Some are mute, blind, and deaf," the Resistance leader said, in reference to Lebanese political movements that still oppose the path of resisting the occupation.

Ridiculing others who have held on to the decisions of international institutions, Sayyed Nasrallah said these people are "hopeless". However, he did stress the need to hold discourse with others who are willing to listen and engage in rational discussions.

"The division over the [policy on] Israel has existed in Lebanon since the establishment of the occupying entity," Sayyed Nasrallah explained, stressing that both Lebanese "Christian and Muslim martyrs" confronted the Israeli occupation.

Sayyed Nasrallah salutes the residents of South Lebanon

Speaking about the residents of South Lebanon, particularly border villages, Sayyed Nasrallah maintained that they are the ones "who bear the primary burden in the confrontation on the Lebanese front."

"A large number of martyrs are from the [border villages of South Lebanon]," he stressed, adding that "the [people of] border villages making these sacrifices express the true will of the overwhelming majority, and it is a matter that transcends sectarian belonging."

"The people of the border villages presented their homes to the Resistance despite knowing that they would be destroyed," Sayyed Nasrallah said, vowing that they "would be rebuilt better than they were."

"The insistence of the people of these border villages on holding funeral processions for their family members in the presence of [large crowds] and burying their martyrs in their land is an expression of their [steadfast] choice [of supporting the Resistance]," the Lebanese Resistance leader stressed.

Western, Arab envoys to Lebanon adopt Israeli interests

Highlighting the importance of the Resistance's actions in South Lebanon, Sayyed Nasrallah said, "The occupation entity reckons with Lebanon because of the Resistance, and the world sends delegations [to the country] because of the [active] southern front."

"Western envoys visiting Lebanon have one goal, which is to protect "Israel" and ensure that their settlers to the north," Sayyed Nasrallah said, in reference to dozens of diplomats who visited Lebanese officials in order to stop the Resistance from carrying out its obligations toward Palestine.

"Delegations visiting Lebanon are trying to intimidate us so as not to support Palestine," the leader revealed.

"These delegations are ignoring any discussions and are content with presenting Israel's proposals to Lebanon," aimed at pushing back Hezbollah's force beyond the Litani River.

"The front in South Lebanon is [meant to produce] pressure, support, and participate in defeating the enemy and weaken it until the aggression [on Gaza] stops," Sayyed Nasrallah stressed.

He further explained that Western and Arab diplomatic initiatives have attempted to push Lebanon to "make [political] concessions in advance" in return for sheer promises.

He reiterated, "The political gains that are being waved at us... will not affect us and will not make us stop [our operations]."

'Israel' is weak, Lebanon must set additional conditions

On the current situation of the Israeli entity, Hezbollah's leader underlined that "the enemy is not in a position to impose conditions on Lebanon, but rather it is weak and in crisis," calling on the "Lebanese side to set additional conditions [on mediated discussions] other than the implementation [of UNSC] Resolution 1701."

"No matter how much you threaten us, we will not yield, and even if you wage war on us, we will not stop [carrying out operations on] the southern front until the aggression against Gaza stops," the Lebanese Resistance leader emphasized.

'Everyone must take security precautions'

Moving on to local security-related issues that affect all the people of Lebanon, Sayyed Nasrallah dedicated a portion of his speech to discuss the dangers of the unchecked use of smartphones.

The Hezbollah Secretary-General explained that the Israeli enemy is using the information it collects from social media and public posts to mine information regarding Resistance fighters and leaders. He cautioned every person with knowledge regarding a family member or a friend against sharing any piece of information that confirms the status of the person of interest to the Israeli occupation.

"It should be noted that some social networking sites provide free information to the enemy," Sayyed Nasrallah said, adding, "The enemy exploits social media information to undermine the Resistance and eavesdrop on smartphones."

"Extreme caution must be taken regarding information that is sent via smartphone devices," he insisted.

In this context, he explained that collaborators have been sidelined and replaced with people's smartphones, which have become a "deadly agent" that the occupation utilizes.

He also pointed to the use of CCTV cameras connected to the Internet, saying that home or shop owners must disconnect these cameras from all Internet access, as the occupation's cyberwarfare units hack into them and collect valuable information.

We are ready to respond equally to escalation

In response to the threats of the Israeli Minister of Security, Yoav Gallant, Sayyed Nasrallah said, "If you do not want to stop the war with us, then you are welcome [to carry it on]."

"When the enemy stops the war on Gaza, we will return to the [previous] equations we had established, and our responses will be proportionate [to the effect of the attacks]."

"If the enemy carries out its threats against us, it must realize that the hundred thousand who left the north will not return," he promised.

Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that Gallant "must realize that if he launches a war on us, then he will have two million displaced [settlers] from the north and not just a hundred thousand."

Commenting on threats to expand the war, Sayyed Nasrallah said that Hezbollah will follow suit if the aggression escalates.

"The Resistance today is more certain, determined, and prepared to confront the [Israeli] enemy," the leader concluded.

The wounded, detained are an integral part of the Resistance

On today's occasion, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah confirmed that the wounded of the Resistance are an integral of those offering sacrifices, "whom we highly cherish," side by side with the detainees who “spent long days in prison.”

In this context, Sayyed Nasrallah highlighted that "we still have a number of outstanding cases with the enemy," such as the cause of the Lebanese detainee in Israeli occupation prisons, Yahya Skaff.

"These wounds and the spilled blood paved the way for many real achievements for our people and our country," he said, stressing that "our responsibility is to preserve these achievements."

Hailing their indispensable role, the Resistance leader said that "the injured and detained freedom fighters are the ones most worthy of ensuring that these achievements are preserved, because they are partners in them, and the Resistance is part of their existence and dignity."

The Secretary-General of Hezbollah also stressed that "our prisoners today, thank God, were all liberated thanks to the Resistance’s sacrifices," pointing out that the strength and power that the Axis of Resistance enjoys nowadays on many fronts are among the results of the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran.

On the occasion of the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Sayyed Nasrallah congratulated "the brothers in the IRGC on their day," stressing that "truly, and from the beginning, they constituted a true advocate and strong supporter for all Resistance movements."