Hezbollah chief announces retaliation against Israel

By KAREEM CHEHAYEB and BASSEM MROUE

BEIRUT (AP) — The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah on Thursday called the massive bombing of Hezbollah that used its communications equipment a “serious blow” and said Israel had crossed a “red line.” But he said the group would continue its daily attacks on northern Israel and vowed that Israelis would not be able to return to their homes until the Gaza war ended.

As Hassan Nasrallah spoke in a televised speech from an undisclosed location, Hezbollah and the Israeli military exchanged new attacks across the border, killing at least two Israeli soldiers. Israeli warplanes also flew low over Beirut and broke the sound barrier, scaring birds and causing people in homes and offices to quickly open windows to prevent them from shattering.

Fears are growing that the 11-month-long exchange of fire between the two sides could escalate into an all-out war, especially after this week's unprecedented bombings blamed on Israel, which saw hundreds of Hezbollah pagers and walkie-talkies remotely detonated in Beirut, parts of Lebanon and the Syrian capital Damascus.

The explosions killed at least 37 people and injured around 3,000. It was apparently the culmination of a months-long Israeli operation aimed at attacking as many Hezbollah members as possible at the same time, but which also hit civilians.

The attack came as Israeli officials have warned they may launch an intensified military operation against Hezbollah, saying they are determined to stop the group's fire to allow tens of thousands of Israelis to return to their homes near the border.

Nasrallah said the group was investigating how the bombings were carried out.

“Yes, we have been dealt a huge and heavy blow,” he said. “The enemy has crossed all borders and red lines.”

He pointed to the number of pagers and walkie-talkies and accused Israel of wanting to kill thousands of people at once. “The enemy will receive a harsh and just punishment where he expects it and where he does not expect it.”

He said Hezbollah would continue its shelling of northern Israel as long as the war in Gaza continued and vowed that Israel would not be able to bring its population back to the border region. “The only way is to end the aggression against the people of Gaza and the West Bank,” he said. “Neither attacks, assassinations nor open war will achieve that.”

As he spoke, Hezbollah announced at least four attacks on northern Israel, while Israeli attacks were reported from southern Lebanon. On Thursday, Hezbollah said it had attacked three Israeli military positions near the border, two of them with drones. Israeli hospitals reported eight people with light to moderate injuries. During the night, the military said it had attacked several militant positions in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah describes its almost daily shelling as a sign of support for Hamas. Israel's 11-month war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip began after Hamas led the attack on Israel on October 7.

Hamas has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Union.

Israel has responded to Hezbollah's fire with attacks in southern Lebanon, targeting high-ranking figures of the group in the capital Beirut. The attacks killed hundreds in Lebanon and dozens in Israel. Tens of thousands of residents on both sides of the border had to be evacuated.

Israel and Hezbollah have repeatedly withdrawn from full-scale war under strong pressure from the United States, France and other countries.

But in their recent warnings, Israeli politicians have declared that they are determined to drastically change the status quo.

In a speech to Israeli troops on Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said: “We are at the beginning of a new phase of the war – it requires courage, determination and perseverance.” He did not mention the exploding bombs, but praised the work of the Israeli army and security authorities, saying: “The results are very impressive.”

Gallant said that after months of fighting Hamas in the Gaza Strip, “the focus is shifting with resources and forces being diverted north.”

Israel began moving more troops to the Lebanese border on Wednesday as a precautionary measure, Israeli officials said. Israeli army chief Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said plans had been drawn up for further action against Hezbollah. However, media reports said the government has not yet decided whether to launch a major offensive in Lebanon.

Lebanon is still suffering from the consequences of the deadly bomb attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The explosions have left Lebanese people feeling uneasy and fearing a full-scale war. The Lebanese army said it had located and detonated suspicious pagers and communication devices. The country's civil aviation authority has banned pagers and walkie-talkies on all planes departing from Beirut's international airport until further notice.