BEIRUT: Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, said on Tuesday that both Hezbollah and Iran are “obliged to respond” to Israel following the last week’s killings of key figures Fuad Shukr and Ismail Haniyeh amid escalating tensions and fears of a broader regional conflict.
Nasrallah’s statement, made during a televised address, underscores the severity of the situation in the Middle East. The killings of Hezbollah’s top military commander, Fuad Shukr, and Hamas political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, have heightened the risk of an all-out war.
The Hezbollah military commander was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs last Tuesday, while Haniyeh was targeted in an attack in Tehran the following day. Israel has yet to officially comment on the Tehran attack.
Nasrallah said that the retaliatory actions by Hezbollah and its allies, including Iran, are unavoidable. “Iran finds itself obliged to respond, and the enemy is waiting in a great state of dread,” he said. He added that Hezbollah’s response would be “strong and effective,” whether it is carried out independently or as part of a coordinated effort with other armed groups in the region.
Nasrallah accused Israel of choosing to escalate the conflict and of attacking Iran, signaling that the response from Hezbollah and its allies will be decisive. “Our response is coming,” he warned. He maintained that the delay in retaliation serves as part of the broader strategy against Israel.
