The whole region hung on his speech. Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah warned Friday that the possibility of "all-out war" was "realistic," stressing that "all options" were on the table regarding the Lebanese front with Israel.
Read alsoIsrael-Hamas war: who is Hassan Nasrallah, the powerful leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah with a long-awaited speech?
In his eagerly awaited first speech since the start of the war, the militia leader also assured that the October 7 attack was a "100% Palestinian" decision, and insisted on the responsibility of the United States in the conflict. Here's what you need to know about his speech
A "100% Palestinian" decision
Hassan Nasrallah began by saluting the memory of the "martyrs" in his speech, while the clashes in Lebanon left "57 dead" among Hezbollah fighters, he announced. "To the families we extend our congratulations and condolences for the loss of their loved ones," he said, also referring to the "sacrifice" of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
Addressing the "context" of the October 7 attack, the Hezbollah leader spoke of "four pressing issues for Palestinians": the thousands of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem, the blockade on Gaza, as well as "new dangers" threatening the West Bank, including (Israeli) settlements and daily killings and arrests.
"All these problems have been forgotten," he said, but they have come to the fore "once again in the eyes of the world." The October 7 attack was the result of a "100 percent Palestinian decision," he said. "The secrecy surrounding this operation has guaranteed its success," he said.
Hassan Nasrallah called the attack an "act of heroism," which led to an "earthquake." It also revealed Israel's "weakness" and "fragility," he added, adding that "the United States' rapid support for Israel has revealed the failure of this entity." "The current sacrifices in Gaza and the West Bank are worth it," the Hezbollah leader continued, adding that there were no other options. "The other option was to wait for death," he said. "It was the right choice," he added.
'Genocide' in Gaza
Israel was "lost" and "in shock" after the Oct. 7 attack, he said. "All the civilians (in Israel) who are accused of killing Hamas died under the bullets and missiles of the Israeli army that was behaving in a crazy way," he said.
The Hezbollah leader said that "Israel's biggest mistake" was to set "goals that it cannot achieve," namely "eliminating Hamas" and freeing the hostages.
Hassan Nasrallah also accused the Israelis of committing "genocide" in Gaza, killing "mostly civilians," including "a majority of women and children." "They have not been able to achieve a single military success in a month," he said, other than "committing a massacre." This, he said, proves "the barbaric and brutal nature of this entity" of Israel.
U.S. 'responsible'
The Hezbollah leader then pointed to the role of the United States, "completely responsible for what is happening in Gaza." "America is what is preventing a ceasefire in Gaza," he said. "She must be held accountable and punished for her actions," he said.
Hassan Nasrallah also urged the world's population to take a stand in the conflict, arguing that "defending the people of Gaza is an act of humanity." "Those who are silent need to reconsider their humanity," he added.
He went on to say that this war was a "historic" and "decisive" moment. "This requires everyone to take responsibility," he said, adding that there were "two objectives" to be pursued: to end the "aggression against Gaza" and to help Hamas achieve "victory". "The victory of Gaza means the victory of the Palestinians," he stressed.
According to him, this outcome would be in the interest of the countries of the region, "mainly Lebanon". "Arab and Islamic countries must try to end the war," he urged, adding that "it is not enough to condemn" and calling on these countries to "stop exports to Israel."
"All options are on the table"
Hassan Nasrallah then insisted on the "importance" of Hezbollah's involvement in the conflict. "For those who are calling on Hezbollah to enter into an open war, what is happening on the border may seem moderate. But that's not the case," he said, assuring that "what we're doing has a big impact."
The leader of the Shiite militia congratulated himself on having forced a large part of the Israeli military forces to defend the border. He also pointed to the "terror" these actions have caused, with Israelis fearing that "this front could lead to further escalation or war on a global scale." "It could happen," he warned.
"All options on our front are on the table and we can use them at any time," he said, trying to dissuade the Americans from intervening. "Threats against us are useless. Your naval forces in the Mediterranean do not frighten us and have never frightened us," he said.