JERUSALEM – Deputy Chief of the Lebanon-based Hezbollah Shia group SheikhNaim Qassem vowed that the organization would protect Lebanon from anyattempts by Israel to seize the country’s territory, Al-Manar broadcasterinforms.
“We don’t accept that our land or our territorial water be lessened,”Deputy Chief of the Lebanon-based Hezbollah Shia group Sheikh Naim Qassemsaid on Wednesday, as quoted by the Al-Manar broadcaster, adding thatHezbollahlink>wasready to resist any possible Israeli aggression.
Earlier this month, a Hezbollah official threatened to open a new frontagainst Israel if the latter continues to target Syria and the Gaza Strip.The statement was made after a clash between Israeli and Iranian forcesin Syrialink>,which resulted in the alleged downing of an Iranian drone and an Israeliaircraft. On Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that thepossible military conflict between Israel and Hezbollah was his “worstnightmare.”
Hezbollah is a Lebanon-based Shia movement founded in 1980s and engagedin several military conflicts with Israel. The group is also supportingincumbent Syrian President Bashar Assad, who is a representative of theAlawites, a Syrian Shia minority.
As Israel tried to warn off foreign companies from accepting a Lebanesetender on a natural gas deposit located in the area of the MediterraneanSea claimed by both Lebanon and Israel, it received a pointed retortfrom Hezbollah.
In 2006 Israeli armed forces invaded Lebanon in counter-move for across-border raid by Hezbollah which resulted in several Israeli soldiersbeing killed and two being abducted. The following conflict lasted 34 daysand ended with a UN-brokered ceasefire, only after claiming the livesof about 1,200 Lebanese and some 160 Israelis.