BEIRUT: Lebanese pro-Iranian militia Hezbollah extended its congratulations to the Palestinian group Hamas for its surprise large-scale attack in southern Israel on Saturday. However, Hezbollah refrained from explicitly declaring military support for Hamas, stating that it is currently “assessing” the situation while maintaining direct contact with Hamas leadership.
Hezbollah also issued a warning to the Israeli government, urging it to “draw lessons from the Palestinian resistance.” The organization described Hamas’s attack as a “decisive response to the ongoing crimes of the occupation.”
Hamas initiated Operation al-Aqsa Flood on Saturday, seizing control of towns in southern Israel, inflicting casualties, including the capture of Israeli individuals, including soldiers. Additionally, it launched thousands of rockets into Israel from the Gaza Strip.
According to Reuters, at least 22 Israelis were killed, and 545 others were injured, with some in critical condition as a result of these attacks.
This attack marked Hamas’s most significant operation against Israel in years and followed months of deadly Israeli actions in the occupied Palestinian territories, as well as incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem by Israeli extremists.
In response to these attacks from Hamas, Israel announced the launch of “Operation Iron Swords,” with Israeli forces engaged in efforts to regain territory in southern Israel.
The Hamas leadership issued a call for all armed Palestinian groups and “resistance groups” in the Arab world to join them in the fight against Israel.
Hezbollah Assessing Situation: Spokesperson
A Hezbollah spokesperson explained that they are in constant coordination and cooperation, holding meetings with Palestinian groups in Lebanon. When asked if Lebanese political factions would participate in the fighting, a Hamas spokesperson in Lebanon referred to Hezbollah’s statement, suggesting that no such involvement had been confirmed.
On Saturday afternoon, Al-Arabiya TV reported that Israel had deployed troops to its border with Lebanon. The Hamas spokesperson did not provide details on whether Hezbollah had granted approval for attacks to be staged from southern Lebanon, indicating that there had been “no new developments in this area.”
There are armed Palestinian factions in southern Lebanon, some of which have previously launched basic rockets into Israel. Hezbollah maintains security control over the southern part of Lebanon, including regions bordering Israel.
The militia’s stated objectives include resistance against Israel and the liberation of both Lebanon and Palestine from Israeli occupation.
Last month, Israeli and Hezbollah officials engaged in heated exchanges, with both the Israeli Defense Minister and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah issuing threats to bring each other’s countries “back to the stone age.” While tensions along the border have escalated due to provocative actions and escalating rhetoric.
