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On January 25, 2024, Al-Nur Radio's website published a report citing the Sheikh Nabil Qaouk, a member of the Hizbullah Central Committee, condemning Israel's assassinations as an "ineffective" approach and a "lost bet." The sheikh issued a threat, saying that Hizbullah would increase the pace of attacks as Israel's "aggression" on civilians increases. Qaouk also argued that the strategic achievements by the Iran-backed Shi'ite militias would enhance the status of the resistance in the region at the expense of the United States and her allies.[1]
Targeting Meron Air Base Conveys "A Harsh And Clear Message" To Israel
Sheikh Qaouk's remarks were made during a memorial held in Lebanon's southern town of Al-Bazuriyah to eulogize "martyr" Dr. Ali Muhammad Hadraj. The ceremony was attended by hundreds of people, including scholars, activists, notables, and families of martyrs.
The Hizbullah scholar asserted that whenever Israel "fails in the field, it bombs homes, cars, and residential areas," noting that the Hizbullah forces had sent a "harsh and clear message" to Israeli forces by targeting the Meron Air Force air defense base.
He continued: "The enemy must understand the meaning of this message. The resistance considers the targeting of civilians a red line and it will respond to any attack. Whenever the enemy increases the pace of its attacks on civilians, the resistance will step up the pace of response."
"Hizbullah's Missiles Can Reach Every Settlement, City, Airport, And Strategic Facility In Israel"
He threatened Israel, saying that in the event of a "broader war plan against Lebanon," Hizbullah's missiles "can reach every settlement, city, airport, and strategic facility" in Israel, adding: "There is no place in Israel that cannot be reached by missiles."
Furthermore, Qaouk stressed that the successes of the "resistance factions" in the region surprised the U.S. its followers, and aides in the region, arguing that they never thought the resistance factions would "join in and cooperate in one war" to encircle and surprise Israel, to challenge the U.S. position, and to "impose equations" never before seen in the history of the Arab Israeli conflict.
"The Israeli entity today is surrounded by fire. Ansar Allah in Yemen shut down the route to the port of Eilat, and the resistance drones in Iraq impose an equation [of power] on the ports of Haifa and Ashdod."
The "Strategic Achievements" Will Boost The Status Of the Iran-Backed Axis "At The Expense Of The U.S.-Led Axis In The Region"
Concluding, Qaouk praised the Iran-backed factions' achievement in challenging the U.S. administration and in attaining strategic achievements that would further "boost the capabilities, effectiveness, and status of the resistance axis at the expense of the American axis in the region."
[1] Alnour, January 25, 2024.
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