Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah during a televised address on May 24, 2024, given in tribute to the Iranian president and foreign minister, killed earlier in the week. (Credit: Screenshot from al-Manar TV)
BEIRUT — Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah promised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "surprises" on Friday, after more than seven months of fighting along the Lebanese-Israeli border. Addressing Netanyahu during the televised speech in tribute to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, killed in a helicopter crash along with several of his companions, Nasrallah said "The resistance surprised you on Oct. 8 ... You should expect more surprises"
"Netanyahu is heading for a dead end and is leading the opposing front to a historic and significant victory," Nasrallah declared. "Neither your deception nor the pressures of your masters will help you, and this resistance will continue."
"We have always been transparent about the fact that when we go into battle, we have clear objectives, and we have said that our first objective is to support Gaza and that the second is to prevent any aggression against Lebanon."
Nasrallah's threat came in response to remarks made the previous day by the Israeli Prime Minister as he was visiting the army's Northern Command headquarters. Netanyahu told troops that Tel Aviv had "detailed, important, even surprising plans" for dealing with Hezbollah. "But I don't share these plans with the enemy," he said, adding that he had two objectives: to restore security in northern Israel, and to enable the displaced to return home.
"Netanyahu wants people to believe that he knows how to wield psychological warfare. But even in Israel, former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said to him: 'Habibi, with what army do you plan to go to South Lebanon?'" quipped Hezbollah's number one.
Hezbollah opened the front with Israel on Oct. 8 in support of Hamas. The Israeli army has been carrying out strikes deeper and deeper into Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah officials — but killing more than 60 civilians in the process. In recent days, Hezbollah has stepped up its attacks on military positions in northern Israel, using drones and new types of weaponry.
Raisi
While the Hezbollah leader touched on the situation in southern Lebanon, he devoted most of his speech to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdollahian, killed along with seven other people in a helicopter crash on Sunday. Hassan Nasrallah offered his condolences to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as well as to the Iranian people, officials in Tehran and the families of the deceased.
"We have lost great leaders in a very critical phase of the fight against the Zionist enemy", he said in his speech. He also announced the cancellation of celebrations scheduled for May 25 on the occasion of the "Resistance and Liberation" holiday, which marks the withdrawal of the Israeli army from southern Lebanon in 2000, because of the incident.
Nasrallah called the Iranian president "a model in all the roles he assumed," and said he had "observed him work day and night."
"This president was a scholar, a very religious man of faith, very humble, very loving and close to people, especially disadvantaged and poor groups, courageous in the face of oppressors and tyrants, believing in resistance and its cause and struggle," Nasrallah said.
Ebrahim Raisi oversaw the violent crackdown on the 'Woman, Life, Freedom' movement and protests that broke out throughout Iran in September 2022, after the arrest and murder in Tehran of a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, Mahsa Amini, for failing to comply with the strict Islamic dress code. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, 551 people were killed in the crackdowns, among them 49 women and 68 children.
As a member of the 1988 "Death Commission" Raisi ordered the disappearance and execution of several thousand political dissidents in Evin prison in Tehran and Gohardasht prison in Alborz province, according to Amnesty International.
President Raisi's era witnessed a revival of Iran's diplomatic presence, and priority was given to relations with Iran's neighboring countries, Nasrallah said.
"Under his tenure, relations with the East have been strengthened and relations with the West have been maintained to some extent. Iran supports the resistance movements with money, weapons, training, expertise and experience, and Mr. Raisi's commitment in this respect has been tremendous," said Nasrallah.
'You are living in an illusion'
"To all the enemies who expect Iran to weaken, retreat, and abandon Palestine and the Resistance, you are living in illusion," Nasrallah said, responding to comments that Iran would be weakened by the deaths of its two senior officials.
"The Islamic Republic is deeply saddened by the martyrdom of its President. But the Iranian constitution and institutions are working. It is a state governed by the rule of law and led by a wise leader."
Following Raisi's death, his vice-president Mohammad Mokhber was appointed as interim president. A presidential election is scheduled for June 28.
"Iran is not a third-world country. There has never been a presidential vacuum," Nasrallah said. Lebanon has been without a president for over a year and a half, Parliament stuck in a stiff deadlock.