BEIRUT. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has vowed continued strikes on Israel despite the recent sabotage of the group’s communication devices, which he described as a “severe blow” during a speech on Thursday. Speaking for the first time since the attacks on thousands of Hezbollah pagers and walkie-talkies, Nasrallah warned that displaced Israelis from border towns would not be able to return to their homes until the war in Gaza ends.
In the last two days, near-daily exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces have intensified, raising concerns about the conflict escalating into a full-scale war. Israel has not confirmed nor denied responsibility for the bombings, but the coordinated attacks have been widely attributed to Israeli forces. According to Lebanese health officials, the device bombings killed 37 people and wounded over 3,000 others, including civilians.
“Yes, we were subjected to a huge and severe blow,” Nasrallah stated, while accusing Israel of intending to cause mass casualties. “The enemy crossed all boundaries and red lines. The enemy will face a severe and fair punishment from where they expect and don’t expect,” he added.
Nasrallah made it clear that Hezbollah would continue its strikes on northern Israel, tying the group’s actions directly to the ongoing war in Gaza. “The only way is to stop the aggression on the people of Gaza and the West Bank,” he said, while rejecting any attempts by Israel to resolve the situation through military means. “Neither strikes, nor assassinations nor an all-out war will achieve that,” he warned.
Thursday saw Hezbollah targeting three Israeli military positions near the border with drones, as Israel responded with airstrikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Israeli officials have escalated warnings in recent days, with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant emphasizing that Hezbollah would “pay an increasing price” for the ongoing hostilities.
“The sequence of our military actions will continue,” Gallant stated, reinforcing Israel’s goal of securing the region to allow displaced Israelis to return to their homes.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah announced the deaths of five of its fighters on Thursday, though it remains unclear whether they were killed in the explosions or during front-line clashes. The conflict has already claimed hundreds of lives in Lebanon and dozens in Israel, displacing tens of thousands on both sides.
As the war continues, Lebanon grapples with the aftermath of the bombings, which have left the country’s population on edge. Civilians across Beirut and southern Lebanon were struck by explosions in homes, cars, and public spaces, with widespread injuries and destruction. Lebanese Health Minister Firas Abiad condemned the attacks as indiscriminate, calling them “a war crime” while praising the resilience of Lebanon’s healthcare system in dealing with the flood of casualties.
As both sides prepare for further conflict, the situation along the Israel-Lebanon border remains tense, with no signs of a ceasefire on the horizon.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
