Hezbollah claims thousands ready to fight Israel as Netanyahu hails Trump victory

Hezbollah has announced that tens of thousands of its fighters are prepared to confront Israeli forces, asserting that the results of the recent United States presidential election would not alter the conflict’s trajectory.

The Iran-backed group’s leadership dismissed the possibility of a ceasefire influenced by American political developments and warned that no location in Israel would remain untouched by attacks. This message followed intensified cross-border hostilities, including the Israeli military’s claim that approximately 120 projectiles were fired from Lebanon into Israeli territory on Wednesday.

In response to Hezbollah’s activities, the Israeli military conducted strikes on Hezbollah’s stronghold in southern Beirut, issuing evacuation warnings in the surrounding areas. The renewed confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah began in late September when Israel broadened its military actions in Gaza to fortify its northern border.

These tensions have added a northern front to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which was reignited by an attack from Hezbollah’s Palestinian ally, Hamas, on October 7, 2023.

Hezbollah has since engaged in a series of lower-intensity attacks across the Israeli-Lebanese border. These escalations have further strained efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, where violent hostilities have yet to be halted.

According to Lebanese health ministry data compiled by AFP, nearly 2,000 people have lost their lives in the Lebanon-Israel confrontations since the escalation in September.

Hezbollah’s new Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, outlined the group’s stance during a televised speech commemorating 40 days since the death of his predecessor, Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in a recent airstrike.

Qassem emphasized that the organisation’s focus would remain on military engagements rather than political developments and reiterated Hezbollah’s preparedness for an extended period of conflict with Israel.

Amid the current fighting, Hezbollah has also expressed concerns over a recent Israeli operation in northern Lebanon, which allegedly involved Israeli naval commandos seizing a suspected Hezbollah operative. Hezbollah denounced the incident as a violation of Lebanese sovereignty and requested an explanation from the Lebanese military.

Lebanese judicial sources revealed that Israeli forces used a speedboat equipped with radar-jamming technology, typically deployed by UN peacekeepers, to execute the operation.

Hezbollah’s leadership has maintained that Lebanese sovereignty should be upheld in any truce negotiations. Meanwhile, Lebanese government sources reported that Israeli airstrikes have intensified, hitting areas in eastern Lebanon, including the Bekaa Valley, and the southern city of Nabatiyeh. Witnesses have noted particularly heavy strikes around Baalbek.

Amid the ongoing crisis, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu celebrated Trump’s return to office, characterizing it as a significant diplomatic and security boost for Israel. He expressed confidence that Trump’s victory could renew US support and fortify the alliance between the two nations.