Israel-Hamas war: Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s dark warning to the West

The leader of militant group Hezbollah made a much anticipated speech early on Saturday morning (AEST) – his first since the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas.

There were concerns he could escalate the conflict with a war on two fronts.

But Hassan Nasrallah, who runs the Iranian backed anti-Israel militia, didn’t go that far. Yet.

He said “all options are open” depending on Israel’s actions in Gaza.

One particular comment Nasrallah made raised eyebrows. He sought to distance both Hezbollah and its backer Iran from Hamas’ October 7 massacre that killed 1400 Israelis saying it was a “100 per cent Palestinian” organised attack which had been “kept secret” from all others.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and urged measures to protect civilians, as global aid organisations continue calls for an immediate ceasefire.

But Netanyahu said there would not even be a “humanitarian pause” until all hostages were freed.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have said it has “completed the encirclement” of Gaza City, “the centre of the Hamas terror organisation”.

On Friday, local time, Hamas authorities claimed a number of people had died after it said a missile from Israel hit a convoy of ambulances in Gaza City.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza claims more than 9000 people have been killed in Israel’s subsequent attacks, including 3760 children. Those figures have not been independently verified.

Read on for the latest updates.

‘Some would like us to join a war’: Hezbollah chief

In a highly anticipated speech on Friday (local time), Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has threatened more attacks on Israel – and that its actions could escalate – but he did not declare war which there concerns he might.

“Some claim Hezbollah is about to join the fray. I tell you: We have been engaged in this battle since October 8.

“Some would like Hezbollah to engage in an all-out war, but I can tell you: What is happening now along the Israeli-Lebanese border is significant, and it is not the end.

“We have been targeting Israeli soldiers, tanks, drones and sensors, the eyes and ears of Israel. We have been engaged in a true battle. The amount of our martyrs (dead militias) — 57 — testifies to this,” he says.

But he warned, Hezbollah’s stance could change depending on Israel’s actions in Gaza: “The possibility of the Lebanese front escalating into broad battle is a realistic option”.

“All scenarios are open”.

Nasrallah added the IDF had been forced to divert forces, weapons and equipment to the north.

“One-third of the IDF is now amassed on our border,” he claims, although it’s not Hezbollah as the group does not rule Lebanon.

He also warned Israel against a “pre-emptive attack” against Hezbollah.

“It will be the most foolish mistake you make in your entire existence”.

He called for a ceasefire and warned Israel about further actions in Gaza.

“I tell Israel: Do not go any further. Many civilians have already died. I promise you: A civilian for a civilian.”

Hezbollah chief’s surprising reveal

In a surprise revelation, Nasrallah distanced Hezbollah from the October 7 attacks.

“This was 100 per cent Palestinian,” he said on Friday, Lebanon time.

“The international community keeps bringing up Iran and its military plans, but the October 7 attack was a 100 per cent Palestinian operation, planned and executed by Palestinians for the Palestinian cause, it has no relation at all to any international or regional issues.”

“This element of secrecy was the linchpin to the shocking success.”

Nonetheless, Nasrallah basked in the attack’s results and said the outcomes of the attack were profound and showed how ”weak” Israel was.

“The glorious operation,” exposed “the frailty, weakness and total fragility of Israel … it’s more fragile than a spider’s web”.

Hezbollah blames US for Gaza war

Nasrallah has said the US, not Israel or Hamas, was “responsible” for the current conflict.

“The United States is completely responsible for the war raging in Gaza … It is the US that must pay the price for the crimes perpetrated in Gaza.”

That will raise fears of possible attacks on US bases within the Middle East or terrorist attacks elsewhere.

“If an all-out war breaks out, you Americans will pay with your ships, your aircraft and your soldiers,” he threatened.

“Only you Americans can end what is happening now in Gaza, since you started it.”

Hezbollah leader’s bizarre claim

During his speech Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah made the preposterous claim that most of the 1400 victims on October 7 were killed by Israeli soldiers.

That’s despite Hamas militants in some cases gloating over their kills and footage of gunmen shooting Israelis.

IDF soldiers were “acting insanely as they were caught by surprise and were drunk,” he said, reported The Times of Israel.

Nasrallah also said that Israel “cannot achieve” its goal of eliminating Hamas.

“Among the gravest mistakes committed by the enemy in the past is setting high goals that they cannot achieve. They set as the top goal to annihilate Hamas, the whole of Hamas”.

A number of commentators have shared that observation – that even if Israel destroys Hamas’ command centres, tunnels and top commanders, it will still continue to exist in some capacity.

Israel on ‘very, very’ high alert state ahead of speech.

Israel has said it is on a “very, very high” alert level at its northern border with Lebanon due as concerns ramp up that Hezbollah could increase attacks.

Hezbollah is based in Lebanon but its forces are separate to the Lebanese armed forces.

There have already been skirmishes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah forces at the border since the Israel-Gaza war began.

If Hezbollah increase attacks, or declares war, it will mean Israel will have to fight Hamas to the south and Hezbollah to the north.

But Tel Aviv has said its up for the fight.

“We are at a very high level of readiness in the north – on a very, very high level of alertness to respond to any event that occurred today and in the days to come,” Israeli Defence Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari said.

Blinken in Israel seeking ‘concrete steps’ to reduce Gaza civilian harm

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel on Friday in a trip focused on measures to minimise harm to civilians in the war in Gaza.

The office of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted pictures of the meeting between the Israeli PM and Blinken.

It posted on X: “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now holding a private meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, at the Kirya in Tel Aviv.

“They will also meet with the members of the War Cabinet.”

Blinken is on his third visit to the country since the deadly Hamas attacks on 7 October.

Prior to his departure from the US, Blinken said he would seek “concrete steps” from Israel to ensure that harm to Palestinian civilians is reduced, as US President Joe Biden also called for humanitarian pauses in the conflict.

This is Blinken’s second trip to the Middle East since fighting erupted on October 7.

“We will be talking about concrete steps that can and should be taken to minimise harm to men, women and children in Gaza,” Blinken told reporters before departing for Israel.

“This is something that the United States is committed to.”

“When I see a Palestinian child — a boy, a girl — pulled from the rubble of a collapsed building, that hits me in the gut as much as seeing a child in Israel or anywhere else,” Blinken said.

“So this is something that we have an obligation to respond to, and we will.”

Biden promises ramped up military aid

Biden has promised full support and ramped-up military aid to Israel for its campaign in Gaza, but in a visible shift of tone has also voiced empathy for Palestinian suffering which has stoked anger in parts of the world.

“I think we need a pause,” Biden said on Thursday at a campaign event.

US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby later clarified what such a pause would entail.

“A humanitarian pause … is temporary, localised and focused, focused on a particular objective or objectives, humanitarian aid in, people out,” Kirby told reporters

UN reveals huge figure required to assist Gaza civilians

The UN on Friday launched an emergency aid appeal seeking $1.2 billion to help some 2.7 million people in Gaza and the West Bank.

“The cost of meeting the needs of 2.7 million people – that is the entire population of Gaza and 500,000 people in the occupied West Bank – is estimated to be $1.2 billion,” the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.

“The original appeal, launched 12 October, asked for $294 million to support nearly 1.3 million people. The situation has grown increasingly desperate since then,” it added.

It came after Israel began sending thousands of Palestinian workers back to Gaza who had been stranded inside Israel since its war with Hamas erupted, a Gaza border official said.

“Thousands of workers who were blocked in Israel since October 7 have been brought back,” Hisham Adwan, head of Gaza’s crossings authority, told AFP.

AFPTV footage shot early on Friday showed groups of workers arriving through the Karem Abu Salem crossing between Israel and southern Gaza, which is normally only used for goods.

Israel ‘severs all contact’ with 18,500 workers

The Israeli government has announced that thousands of Gazans working in Israel will be sent back to the region under siege, as part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bold retaliation plan following the October 7 attacks.

“Israel is severing all contact with Gaza. There will be no more Palestinian workers from Gaza. Those workers from Gaza who were in Israel on the day of the outbreak of the war will be returned to Gaza,” a post from Mr Netanyahu’s office on X, formerly Twitter, said.

Israel’s security cabinet has also made moves to “deduct all funds designated for the Gaza Strip … from Palestinian Authority [PA] funds”.

Prior to the current conflict, approximately 18,500 Palestinians from Gaza had been given permits to enter Israel.