Former Lebanese Minister Of Defense Yacoub Sarraf: Hizbullah's October 8, 2023 Attack Was Justified; Beirut's Dahia Is Not A Terrorist Base; Resolution 1701 Does Not Require The Withdrawal Of Radwan Force From South Lebanon

In an interview posted on Spot Shot on YouTube on October 9, 2024, former Lebanese Minister of Defense Yacoub Sarraf discussed Hizbullah’s conflict with Israel in southern Lebanon. He asserted that Hizbullah did not attack Israel on October 8, 2023, but instead targeted the Golan Heights, which he described as occupied territory, thereby justifying the attack. Sarraf further claimed that Harry Truman was misled into believing Hiroshima was a military target, comparing this to the "lie" that the Dahia district in Beirut serves as a terrorist military base. Additionally, he stated that according to Resolution 1701, no weapons should be present in southern Lebanon without the consent of the Lebanese government; however, this claim does not apply to fighters or Hizbullah’s Radwan Force.

Yacoub Sarraf: "On October 8 [2023], the resistance attacked the Golan Heights. It did not attack Israel. On October 8, [Hizbullah] attacked the Golan Heights, and it had the right and the duty to do so. You cannot say that we initiated an attack on Israel. We initiated operations... I do not want to say 'we.' The resistance started operations in an area that is occupied..."

Interviewer: "In the Shebaa Farms as well..."

Sarraf: "Exactly.

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"In the bombing of Hiroshima – the anniversary of which was last month – [the U.S.] did not attack the Japanese army. The Japanese military capabilities in Hiroshima were not attacked. 90% of the people who were hit in Hiroshima were civilians.

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"The American intelligence lied to Harry Truman, and told him that Hiroshima was a military base, just like they are lying to us today when they say that the Dahia in Beirut in a terrorist military base.

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"Article 3 [of Resolution 1701] says that all the conditions of Resolutions 1559 and 1680 must be implemented. Inside it says that during the period of cessation of hostilities, there must be no weapons in south Lebanon without the consent of the Lebanese government. It does not say that there cannot be fighters there, or that the Radwan Force must withdraw."