Mohammad Afif Naboulsi, spokesperson for Hezbollah. (Credit: NNA)
"The resistance claims full and exclusive responsibility for the operation against Caesarea and the targeting of the war criminal and leader of the Zionist scourge, Benjamin Netanyahu," announced Hezbollah spokesperson Mohammad Afif Naboulsi on Tuesday. He spoke during a press conference at a location called Rawdat Hawraa in the Ghobeiri neighborhood of southern Beirut. At the same time, Israeli aircraft were conducting several airstrikes in the region.
A drone had been launched from Lebanon toward Benjamin Netanyahu's private residence in Caesarea in central Israel on Saturday, according to the Israeli Prime Minister's office. The Israelis, including Netanyahu himself, had directly accused Iran, which denied any involvement through a statement from its U.N. mission, asserting that "the action was carried out by the Lebanese Hezbollah." Before Tuesday's press conference, Hezbollah had not officially claimed responsibility for the attack.
"The eyes of the resistance fighters see, and their ears hear. If our hands did not reach you (Netanyahu) this time, between you and us are the days, the nights, and the terrain," added Mohammad Afif Naboulsi.
Another highlight of this lengthy press conference was the Hezbollah spokesperson's acknowledgment that fighters from the party have indeed been captured by the Israelis, likely during the fighting in southern Lebanon. "Regarding the hostages that the enemy is currently holding, we know that the Israelis do not adhere to any rules of war or any international conventions, but they bear responsibility for their lives and health, and we request that the International Federation of the Red Cross ensure" they are treated well, he stated. He also suggested that "the confessions obtained under pressure have no value, as these methods violate all applicable laws."
"We will soon manage to take hostages among their soldiers; it cannot be long now, knowing that we have repeatedly been close to doing so in recent days," Mohammad Afif Naboulsi added.
Hochstein ‘explores Hezbollah's position’
The Hezbollah official further criticized the visit of American envoy Amos Hochstein to Beirut on Monday, accusing the United States of being "full partners in the attack against Lebanon carried out by Israel, to whom they provide weapons."
"The ideas proposed (by Hochstein) were merely a means to probe Hezbollah's position in a context of massacres and bloodshed. Our trust in Nabih Berri (the Speaker of Parliament and leader of their ally, the Amal movement) is total, and we support his refusal of any negotiations during ongoing combat," he continued.
Mohammad Afif Naboulsi mentioned the attacks from Sunday night to Monday against the headquarters of Hezbollah's financial association, al-Qard al-Hassan, in several regions. He insisted that the institution "is civilian" and that the attack "is unjustified" and aims "to undermine the trust between Hezbollah and its supporters." "I affirm, on behalf of the association, that it had taken precautions in anticipation of war and that it will honor its commitments to its savers," he stated.
Mohammad Afif Naboulsi also assured that "the resistance is doing well and has reorganized its ranks," recalling that the pace of daily operations is increasing, with an average of 25 per day, reaching as far as Haifa and Tel Aviv, preventing the Israelis from making any advances in southern Lebanon. He accused the party's critics of not believing in the party's recovery capabilities and not standing in solidarity with it.
The war between Hezbollah and Israel has been ongoing since Oct. 8, 2023, but it has escalated sharply on the Israeli side since Sept. 23, culminating in the assassination of the party's Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah on Sept. 27 and several high-ranking leaders.
Iran negotiator vows 'decisive' response to US-Israeli attack