Nasrallah Says 'No Place' Safe, Even Threatens Cyprus, If Israel Invades Lebanon
Amid widespread reports and statements that Israel and Hezbollah are on the brink of full-scale war, the Shia paramilitary group's leader Hassan Nasrallah has warned of a war "without rules or ceilings" if Israeli forces launch an offensive in Lebanon.
The words were given in response to Israel's top generals the day prior announcing that battle plans have been approved for a Lebanon offensive and widening of the war. The IDF statement said it is preparing to "accelerate readiness in the field."
"The enemy must wait for us by air, land, and sea. We repeat: If war is imposed on Lebanon, the resistance will fight without rules, controls, or ceilings," Nasrallah responded Tuesday.
"Storming the Galilee is a possibility that remains present within the framework of any war that the occupation may launch against Lebanon," Hezbollah's Secretary-General continued.
And that's when he for the first time of the conflict which began in wake of Oct.7 issued a warning against Cyprus, given that the Greek-speaking island-nation currently has a bilateral defense cooperation agreement with Israel.
"Opening Cypriot airports and bases to the Israeli enemy to target Lebanon would mean that the Cypriot government is part of the war, and the resistance will deal with it as part of the war," Nasrallah said.
He further warned that targets in the Mediterranean would also come under attack. In 2006 the Israeli Navy's INS Hanit warship suffered a direct hit from a Hezbollah anti-ship missile (likely made by Iran), killing four soldiers.
His fresh words are also being interpreted by Israeli media to say gas fields in the Mediterranean and energy platforms could also be attacked:
Israel "knows that what also awaits it in the Mediterranean is very big," Nasrallah added, without elaborating, possibly insinuating the group could attack its offshore gas rigs.
While Israel is not known to have any bases or ports in Cyprus, it has on occasion conducted joint military drills with Cypriot forces.
More likely is a scenario where Israeli jets would take off from Cypriot bases - or else one of the two British bases maintained on Cyprus. Any bigger Israeli anti-Hezbollah operation in Lebanon would without doubt involve a ratcheting air war over southern Lebanon.
This is insane. Hezbollah drones are out there screenshotting all sensitive Israeli positions, chemical and oil storages and the entire port of Haifa while the Iron Dome is clueless. Hezbollah will destroy the port if Israel attacks Lebanonpic.twitter.com/4YhXnoUHQJ
— Hadi (@HadiNasrallah) June 18, 2024
Nasrallah in his Tuesday statement warned further, "We developed some of our weapons and used new weapons that we had not used previously." Israeli leaders are concerned about recent drone image Hezbollah was able to capture over Haifa, which is Israel's third largest city.