Hezbollah threatens Israel with 'appropriate response' if violations continue

Reacting to two deadly Israeli strikes on the towns of Ansar and Deir Zahrani overnight from Friday into Saturday morning, Hezbollah threatened Israel with an ‘’appropriate response’’ if it continued its attacks on Lebanese territory.

The two Israeli attacks killed at least 11 people and wounded several others, marking the deadliest incidents since the fragile truce established in June. The cease-fire, which Hezbollah has appeared to respect, has not stopped the Israeli army from continuing its operations, generally through artillery fire and widespread destruction of homes. However, the latest two attacks were justified by Israel as retaliation for operations that Hezbollah did not claim responsibility for.

The party immediately accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of ‘’ordering this escalation to consolidate his political position on the eve of the legislative elections in October,’’ placing the blame on both the Israeli government and the United States for the intensification.

But it was mainly against the Lebanese government that Hezbollah unleashed its strongest criticism, launching a full-fledged indictment of the U.S.-backed direct Lebanese-Israeli negotiations.

’’The authorities should abandon humiliating direct negotiations and stop offering free gifts to the enemy, while disregarding all its crimes and attacks,’’ the party said in a statement distributed to the press.

These direct talks began last April and resulted in a framework agreement signed by both parties in June for the gradual Israeli withdrawal from ‘’pilot zones,’’ followed by the deployment of the Lebanese army. After the implementation of a first pilot zone in Zawtar al-Gharbieh (Nabatieh) in July, the agreement stalled, and the last round of negotiations in Rome in early August led to no major progress.

Hezbollah believes the Lebanese authorities should undertake a ‘’complete reassessment’’ instead of ‘’continuing to chase after negotiations under Washington’s influence.’’

’’Betting on American mediation and guarantees is a doomed gamble because the Americans are the Israelis’ allies and accomplices in their crimes in Lebanon,’’ the statement continued.

The pro-Iranian party also criticized ‘’the latest arrogant and provocative remarks by the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon’’ [Michel Issa], who called for Hezbollah’s disarmament instead of pressuring Israel to withdraw from occupied areas in the south.

On Friday, after a meeting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain al-Tineh, Issa said, ‘’Israeli demolitions will stop when Hezbollah hands over its weapons,’’ noting that he had asked Berri to convey the message to his ally.

’’All Lebanese must understand the danger of the method adopted by the authorities, which comes at the expense of the country’s unity, security and independence. The Israeli enemy should know that its violations and attempts to impose a fait accompli cannot continue and will attract the response they deserve,’’ the statement concluded.