Hezbollah Leader Threatens Cyprus in Event of Larger War with Israel
The Facts
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said in a speech on Wednesday that the group is prepared for a larger conflict with Israel, threatening any other country in the region that assisted Israel in its war effort, specifically Cyprus. The country has hosted training exercises for Israel in the past.
Cypriot Pres. Nikos Christodoulides said in response to Nasrallah's comments that "Cyprus remains uninvolved in any military conflicts and positions itself as part of the solution rather the problem."
The Spin
The US is doing everything it can to both ensure that Israel can eliminate Hamas's military capabilities and prevent regional escalation. Israel must be able to defend itself from terrorist attacks, whether from Gaza or elsewhere. Indeed, no one wants this conflict to escalate, but time is running out.
Hezbollah's escalations on the border will soon need to be addressed with overwhelming military force. Though a war full-blown war with Hezbollah would be painful on the home front, Israel must take this existential threat seriously. Hezbollah is not deterred, and Israel will have to remove it from south Lebanon with force if an agreement or understanding is not reached.
Hezbollah and the regional resistance continue to demonstrate their military capabilities. Ultimately, the resistance's primary goal is to end the war in Gaza, not start a far larger regional conflict. However, Israel's genocidal actions and constant threats may indicate that a larger war is coming. Indeed, Hezbollah is ready to defend Lebanon.
