🛑#UPDATE: Today an interview with Hezbollah’s Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah aired on Iranian TV & Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV & a few things caught my attention. A quick thread on this, but first, some context. 1/9
After Soleimani’s assassination Nasrallah said Iranian-backed resistance groups, including Hezbollah, would be involved in the retaliation. So far we haven’t seen anything, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything to come. 2/9
In the past Hezbollah has retaliated months, even years after the initial incident. An example of this is when Israel killed Hezbollah’s old Secretary General in 1992, Abbas al-Musawi- the group retaliated by bombing the Israeli Embassy in Argentina over a month later 3/9
Then 2 years later in 1994 they conducted a suicide attack on the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association in Buenos Aires.
This illustrates Hezbollah’s reach is not limited by geography, nor by time. They have patience when planning acts, for this group there is no urgency. 4/9
This illustrates Hezbollah’s reach is not limited by geography, nor by time. They have patience when planning acts, for this group there is no urgency. 4/9
Iran & Hezbollah have also added a further layer of deniability by using local groups to carry out retaliation. The 1996 Khobar Towers bombing on US personnel was carried out by Hezbollah al-Hejaz, a small group in Saudi Arabia that was directly assisted by Iran & Hezbollah 5/9
This brings me to the number of notable points made in today’s remarks by Nasrallah.
Firstly Nasrallah stated, as he previously acknowledged, Soleimani’s killing crossed all red lines. But he then states this action has now put Hezbollah in direct confrontation with the US 6/9
Firstly Nasrallah stated, as he previously acknowledged, Soleimani’s killing crossed all red lines. But he then states this action has now put Hezbollah in direct confrontation with the US 6/9
Furthermore Nasrallah states this “confrontation” will take many forms, as listed below. He also announces Hezbollah now sees the US as their “Greatest Satan”- following on from Iran’s own views. Hezbollah will now be keeping its eyes closely trained on US moves in the region 7/9
Finally, Nasrallah states after Soleimani’s death, an unspecified number of Hezbollah operatives contacted him requesting his permission to conduct martyrdom operations (suicide attacks)- possibly on US forces?
Nasrallah didn’t clarify whether he has accepted these requests 8/9
Nasrallah didn’t clarify whether he has accepted these requests 8/9
Ultimately, with this new information & historical precedence, this thread not only highlights the stark threat Hezbollah poses to international targets, but moreover, that just because Hezbollah hasn’t acted kinetically to Soleimani’s killing so far, doesn’t mean they won’t 9/9
