Lebanon: Hezbollah’s response awaited after Nasrallah’s hailed potentials

Barely a week after the Secretary General of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, said in an interview that provoking the organization will lead to a dirty war because they have “weapons of all types” which have increased their resistance capability and increase their abilities to win a war, an Israeli air strike in Syria three days later will kill some of its important members in an area, near the border, covered by a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Syria. Coincidence or provocation, Israel is expecting Hezbollah to revenge the killings. Nasrallah during the interview said that Hezbollah will retaliate if Israel attacks and many are waiting to see the reaction of the organization.

Experts have ruled out an all-out war but are certain that retaliation is underway. A Lebanese official close to Hezbollah said it will be done “coldly” and an Israeli military told Reuters that Hezbollah’s reaction will be through limited attacks. A senior security official close to the organization said the Israeli airstrike “crossed the red line in the security war.” Attacks on Israeli interest beyond its borders have not been ruled out. The organization has however not released a statement.

Considering Nasrallah’s comments, Hezbollah is obliged to do a show of force or else its deterrent ability will cripple. The war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006 is still fresh in some memories. Lebanese analyst Nabil Boumonsef is confident that a war will not start again because Hezbollah will embark on a targeted attack rather than a confrontation with Israel.

Hezbollah’s has some of its militants fighting alongside pro-Assad forces in Syria which has made analysts to doubt its capability of beginning a war. Meanwhile, Israel is on the alert.