BEIRUT (Reuters) – Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem said on Friday that the group would not be affected by calls for it to remain on the sidelines of the conflict between Israel and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), saying that his party was “fully prepared” to act. Contributing to the fighting.
He told his supporters who gathered in the southern suburb of Beirut: “The behind-the-scenes calls from the great powers, the Arab countries and the United Nations envoys, which ask us directly or indirectly not to interfere, will have no effect.”
Qassem said, “Hezbollah knows its duties well. We are prepared and prepared, completely prepared.”
The group has already clashed with Israel across the Lebanese border several times in the past week in the bloodiest confrontation since they fought a month-long war in 2006.
The cross-border rocket fire and shelling came in the wake of the attack launched by the Palestinian Hamas movement on Israeli towns and the retaliatory Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip.
[1/2]Deputy leader of Lebanese Hezbollah Sheikh Naim Qassem speaks during a rally in support of Palestinians in Gaza amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in Beirut, Lebanon, October 13, 2023. REUTERS/Zahra Ben Samra Obtaining licensing rights
But sources say Hezbollah has designed its movements so far to be limited in scope, preventing a significant spread into Lebanon while keeping Israeli forces occupied.
“The question that everyone is waiting for is: What will Hezbollah do and what is its contribution?” Qasim said. He added, “We will contribute to the confrontation as part of our plan. When the time comes for any action, we will implement it.”
Qassem spoke at a rally in which hundreds of people gathered in solidarity with the Palestinians, waving the flags of Palestine and Hezbollah.
Other marches were held in Palestinian camps as well as in cities in southern and eastern Lebanon where Hezbollah has a strong presence. Fearing that a splinter group might attempt to cross the border, the Lebanese Army deployed units throughout the south.
Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah has not yet commented on the developments. On Friday morning, he met with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian to discuss the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Amir Abdullahian said on Thursday that Iran’s allies in the region would respond to Israeli “crimes” against the Palestinians, and that Israel would then bear the consequences.
(Reporting by Laila Bassam and Maya Gebaili – Prepared by Jaafar for the Arab Bulletin) Editing by Alex Richardson and Christina Fincher
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