The deputy leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah reiterated on Tuesday that attacks on northern Israel would only end if there was a ceasefire in Gaza.
“If there is a ceasefire in Gaza, we will stop without any discussion,” Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem told The Associated Press.
Qassem said that if Israeli military operations in Gaza wind down without a formal ceasefire or Israeli withdrawal, it’s unclear what Hezbollah would do. “If what happens in Gaza is a mix between ceasefire and no ceasefire, war and no war, we can’t answer (how we would react) now, because we don’t know its shape, its results, its impacts,” he said.
The comments come as tensions on the Israel-Lebanon border are soaring, and Israeli officials are increasing threats about a potential invasion. It’s unclear if a ceasefire in Gaza would de-escalate the situation, as Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said earlier this year that a truce in Gaza would mean escalation in Lebanon.
Qassem said he doesn’t believe Israel has the ability to launch a full-scale assault on Lebanon at the moment and warned a limited incursion could result in a major regional escalation.
“Israel can decide what it wants: limited war, total war, partial war,” he said. “But it should expect that our response and our resistance will not be within a ceiling and rules of engagement set by Israel… If Israel wages the war, it means it doesn’t control its extent or who enters into it.”
According to a tally from AFP, Israeli strikes on Lebanon since October 7 have killed 493 people, including 95 civilians. On the Israeli side of the border, at least 15 soldiers and 11 civilians have been killed by Hezbollah fire.
If Hezbollah thinks that a ceasefire in Gaza automatically translates to a ceasefire in Lebanon, Hezbollah will be in for a big surprise. If one looks at past wars, Israel concentrates on one opponent at a time, while holding the others opponents at bay.
We’ve also seen Israel’s war against Hezbollah in 06 and how they hightailed out of that war when things got out of hand. But I propose that Israel will put Sun Tzu’s teaching to another costly test.
They didn't say that. They said they'd be willing to stop attacking northern Israel if there was a cease fire in GAZA. You can't possibly think they meant they'd adhere to a cease fire if Israel continues their attacks on Lebanon. But look at me, thinking you think.
”Ceasefire?”…….Cease war. “To be or not be”, will be answered and implemented, for everyone of US.