Hezbollah Warns of Potential Full-Scale War With Israel

By Yoni Weiss

Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, issued a stern warning on Saturday, cautioning that a full-scale war would not result in the return of residents to northern Israel but could instead permanently eliminate their presence in the region. This warning comes amidst ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah attacks in the north and Israeli strikes in Lebanon.

Qassem’s statement came in response to threats from Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who had indicated that continued attacks would prompt Israeli military action in Lebanon to ensure the return of northern residents to their homes. Qassem countered, asserting that such a war would not only prevent the residents’ return but could also lead to the permanent expulsion of Israelis from the area.

Simultaneously, a senior IDF official, cited by The Wall Street Journal on Saturday, argued that escalating Israeli operations was the only viable strategy to quell clashes with Hezbollah along the northern border with Lebanon. The official emphasized the necessity of continued escalation, deeming it crucial for regional security.

Since Oct. 8 – the day after the Hamas attacks near the Gaza border – Hezbollah-led forces have launched attacks on Israeli communities and military outposts along the border almost daily, citing support for Gaza as their motivation. In response, Israel has threatened military intervention to compel Hezbollah to withdraw from the border and cease threats against northern communities, resulting in the evacuation of approximately 70,000 people to avoid potential war.

On Motzoei Shabbos, Israeli fighter jets targeted Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon’s Markaba, as well as another site in Srebbine, according to the IDF. Additionally, the IDF intercepted a “suspicious aerial target” approaching Israeli airspace from Lebanon in the Manara area using the Iron Dome defense system. This incident triggered sirens in the Kiryat Shmona area. Further escalation ensued as several anti-tank missiles were fired from Lebanon into the same area, prompting IDF artillery shelling of the launch site.

The IDF released footage of a Friday airstrike on a building in southern Lebanon’s Kafr Kila, where two Hezbollah terrorists were allegedly present. The video captured the arrival of a second armed Hezbollah member, identified by the IDF’s 869th Combat Intelligence Collection Unit, prompting the airstrike.

Overnight strikes targeted Hezbollah facilities in Rihan and Kfarchouba, as well as other infrastructure in Chebaa, the IDF reported. Additionally, artillery shelling targeted areas near Aalma ash-Shab to neutralize potential threats.

The escalation follows a Hezbollah rocket barrage targeting northern Israel on Friday, which occurred hours after an Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon resulted in the deaths of two members of an allied terror group.