Beirut, Lebanon - June 20, 2024: Lebanon’s Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, issued a stark warning on Wednesday, revealing that the militant group has acquired new weapons and intelligence capabilities. These advancements could enable Hezbollah to target more critical positions deeper inside Israel in the event of an all-out war, heightening the already simmering cross-border tensions.
Nasrallah made these comments during a televised address commemorating a top Hezbollah commander killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon last week. “We now have new weapons. But I won’t say what they are,” Nasrallah stated. “When the decision is made, they will be seen on the front lines.”
This declaration comes amid escalating hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, which have persisted for several months. The situation appears to be reaching a critical point, despite recent diplomatic efforts by a top U.S. envoy to de-escalate tensions during meetings with Lebanese officials.
Nasrallah also claimed that Hezbollah’s fighting force has grown significantly since his 2021 assertion of having 100,000 fighters. He mentioned turning down offers from allied countries and militias in the region that could further bolster Hezbollah’s ranks by tens of thousands.
Further intensifying the threat, Hezbollah released a nearly 10-minute-long video on Tuesday, allegedly filmed by a surveillance drone, showcasing parts of Haifa, a city far from the Israel-Lebanon border. Nasrallah asserted that Hezbollah possesses much more footage, suggesting the group’s capability to reach sites deep within Israel.
In response, Israel’s military chief, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, visited Israeli air-defense soldiers near the Lebanese border on Wednesday. Halevi acknowledged Hezbollah’s demonstrated capabilities but assured that Israel is prepared to counter these threats. “We of course have infinitely greater capabilities,” Halevi said. “I think the enemy is only familiar with a few of them and [we] will confront them at the right time.”
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