Nasrallah praises Hamas attack on Israel but claims it was "100% Palestinian"
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has given his first speech since the war between Israel and Hamas began on 7 October. After several days of expectation and addressing - virtually - a crowd gathered in a Beirut neighbourhood, Nasrallah began his speech by remembering and praising the "martyrs". "There is no war holier than this war against the Zionists," the Hezbollah leader stressed from an unknown location.
Hezbollah still hyping up Nasrallah speech on #Hamas war on #Israel, scheduled in 5 minutes. Pic showed crowd assembled at a watch party in Beirut's southern suburb. Hezbollah TV says 4 spots across #Lebanon were filled two hours ago. Hezbollah has been trying to push the… pic.twitter.com/es5Dfp8Lax
— Hussain Abdul-Hussain (@hahussain) November 3, 2023
During his long-awaited speech, which lasted an hour and a half, Nasrallah stressed that the Hamas attack on Israel was "a 100% Palestinian decision" planned in "complete secrecy". Nasrallah also pointed out that although the Islamic Republic of Iran supports the "resistance factions", it does not direct their activity.
Regarding this so-called 'Axis of Resistance', the Hezbollah leader thanked both Yemeni Houthis and Iraqi for launching attacks against Israel and US troops respectively.
Huge crowds in Baghdad are listening to Hassan Nasrallah
— Samuel Ramani (@SamRamani2) November 3, 2023
The transnational appeal in the Arab world he cultivated after the 2006 Lebanon Israel War lives on pic.twitter.com/joXfOXJ08G
He also welcomed Hezbollah's actions, stressing at this point that they have been at war "since 8 October". The Lebanese Shi'ite group, backed by the Islamic Republic of Iran, has launched attacks on Israeli territory since the conflict began, leading to the evacuation of numerous communities in northern Israel.
On the eve of this speech, the Tehran-backed Shia group launched what appeared to be its biggest offensive to date, announcing 19 simultaneous attacks on Israeli army positions and using explosive drones for the first time.
Two men were injured after a rocket from Lebanon struck the northern Israeli city of Kiryat Shemona. Most residents evacuated but several dozen remained. pic.twitter.com/dpSXxeWy0P
— Anna Ahronheim (@AAhronheim) November 2, 2023
According to Nasrallah, Hezbollah's actions against northern Israel "decrease the pressure on Gaza". "All options are on the table. We can act at any time, we should all be prepared for all scenarios," warned the Hezbollah leader, who also announced the deaths of 57 members of his forces.
In addition to blaming Israel, Nasrallah also blamed the US for the situation in Gaza and criticised Arab nations for not opening the Rafah crossing and maintaining diplomatic relations with Israel. In this regard, he urged countries in the region to cut ties with Israel and suspend exports.
#Hezbollah's secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah today says Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7 was kept secret from other members of #IRGCterrorists Axis of Resistance, and its decision and implementation was 100% Palestinian. Nasrallah is on message with #Iran's supreme leader,… pic.twitter.com/7j0Bo45oPK
— Jason Brodsky (@JasonMBrodsky) November 3, 2023
Nasrallah also made reference to the more than 200 hostages held hostage in Gaza, noting that their release will only be possible through negotiation.
Although many expected a formal declaration of war, the Hezbollah leader ended his speech by noting that the key to their fight was patience. "Our fight is patience, to prevent the enemy from achieving its goals," Nasrallah concluded.
According to Iranian political analyst Daniel Bashandeh, Nasrallah's failure to announce measures "undermines the credibility of his threats". "Everything points to the war being reduced to a local issue, between Israel and Hamas," he explains.
