Sheikh Naim Kassem, the second in command of the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, said that if the killing of civilians in Gaza by Israel does not stop, there is a risk of a wider war in the Middle East.
He told the BBC: ‘This region could become a very serious and very dangerous situation, and no one will be able to stop the consequences.’
More than 10,000 people have died in Gaza, according to the Ministry of Health run by Hamas. At one such time, the deputy head of Hezbollah gave the warning in an interview in Beirut.
A Hamas attack on October 7 killed 1,400 people, including 1,000 civilians. In response to that attack by Hamas, Israel also counterattacked.
The leader of Hezbollah said, ‘The danger is really coming. Because Israel is escalating its aggression against civilians and killing women and children in large numbers.’ In his words, ‘can this situation continue without causing more danger in this region? I don’t think so.’ He emphasized that the risk of war in the region will increase if Israel’s attacks increase.
Hezbollah will answer for every civilian death
In the wake of the war in Gaza, Hezbollah has so far only raised the alarm level and is responding cautiously. Hezbollah used Grad rockets to kill an Israeli civilian for the first time since an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon killed a woman and three children on Sunday.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has threatened that every civilian death in Lebanon will be answered across the border. But he has not yet threatened Israel with all-out war. ‘All alternatives are open.’ Emphasizing this, the militant group has largely limited its response to cross-border attacks targeting military targets.
More than 60 of their fighters have been killed, but Hezbollah has many more combat-experienced supporters to take their place. A fighter whose family members have fought for Hezbollah for generations was buried in Beirut this week. Not only that, he is the fifth member of his family to die for the group.
