In a chilling escalation of rhetoric, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has threatened to expand attacks on Israeli settlements, marking a potential new phase in the ongoing conflict along the Israel-Lebanon border. Speaking on the solemn occasion of Ashura, Nasrallah's words carried a weight of menace: "If you continue to attack civilians - the resistance will attack settlements that have not been attacked until now."
The threat comes in the wake of a night marred by violence, with over 85 rockets raining down on northern Israeli communities, including Kiryat Shmona, where seven projectiles found their mark within city limits. Nasrallah claimed that this barrage is a direct response to Israeli actions that reportedly resulted in civilian casualties, including three Syrian children.
Nasrallah's speech also touched on internal Israeli matters, seizing upon recent admissions by the IDF of equipment shortages. With a mix of bravado and warning, he declared, "Israel not only has a shortage of fighters - but also tanks. If they come to Lebanon, no tanks will remain at all," referencing the IDF's acknowledgment of tank losses in Gaza.
The Hezbollah chief's words paint a picture of a conflict at a crossroads, with the specter of further escalation looming large. "Israel, for the first time in its history, cannot achieve its goals and uses indiscriminate killing to justify its situation," Nasrallah claimed, dismissing the possibility of an imminent ceasefire.
As both sides exchange fire and accusations, Nasrallah's final warning resonates: "The future of the situation in the south will be decided according to the results in battle."
* Ynet contributed to this article.