Hassan Nasrallah Describes Rocket Attacks on Israeli Positions as a 'New Phase'

A few days after the latest Israeli attacks on Syria, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, celebrated the rocket attacks from Syria to Israel, which followed Israeli bombings against 'Iranian military targets in Syria', calling it 'the night of rockets' and threatened Israel with new missile attacks. In a speech on Monday evening, May 24, he warned that 'if Israel attacks Syria again; threatens; crosses red lines, it has made a mistake because this time the reaction will be in the heart of Israel.' He did not provide further details but claimed that the next reaction would be 'at the right time and place.' According to regional news agencies, Hassan Nasrallah stated that 'a new phase' has begun. He claimed that the number of rockets fired in last week's attacks from Syria towards Israel was 55 and included 'heavy rockets.' However, he did not refer to the nature of the forces that carried out these missile attacks. Israel stated that on the morning of Thursday, May 20, twenty rockets were aimed from Syria towards the Israeli border, with sixteen landing in Syrian territory and Israeli air defense systems intercepting four others in the air. According to Israel, this military incursion was planned by Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, and executed by his affiliated forces. In response, Israel attacked over fifty targets affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in Syria, which according to Avigdor Lieberman, 'almost all were destroyed.' However, Hassan Nasrallah claimed that Israel reported the number of rockets fired at it as much lower and also asserted that Israel attacked 'empty places.' He described the 'night of rockets' as showing that the Israeli rear is 'not ready for war; neither in terms of shelters, nor infrastructure, nor psychological readiness; a well-known Israeli disgrace.' Meanwhile, Israel emphasizes its complete military readiness and high capability in defending its rear and the security of its people. The United States, Germany, and other powers have attributed the mentioned attacks to Iran and have urged the country to refrain from such incursions. Hassan Nasrallah's remarks regarding the events of Thursday morning come as all Iranian military commanders, especially the leaders of the Revolutionary Guard, have remained silent on this issue. Only the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated that the rocket attacks were the work of the Syrian army and 'defensive measures.' In his speech on Monday, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah also criticized the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, stating, 'Trump knows that Iran does not have a nuclear weapons program and does not produce ballistic missiles, but his problem is that Iran supports Hezbollah, supports Hamas, and supports other resistance groups.' Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, two weeks ago unveiled Iranian nuclear documents obtained by Israel in recent weeks, stating that the Islamic Republic began its nuclear program with the aim of producing a nuclear bomb and lied in its claim that it was not seeking a nuclear bomb, asserting that the JCPOA was based on 'Iran's lies.' Furthermore, Hassan Nasrallah's claim regarding Iran's non-production of ballistic missiles comes at a time when Iran itself confirms that it has been producing long-range missiles with a range of over two thousand kilometers for years; Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, stated last week that Iran will produce and stockpile as many missiles as it wants. Hassan Nasrallah, in his recent remarks, identified the 'main problem' of the U.S. President with Iran as Tehran's support for all 'resistance groups,' acknowledging last year that 'money, weapons, food, and everything for Hezbollah comes from Iran, and as long as Iran has money, Hezbollah has money.' What opponents of Israel and the U.S. refer to as the 'resistance front' includes groups that are considered terrorist by a large part of the global community and are under sanctions. The Iranian people have also continuously demanded in their protest slogans that the Iranian government distance itself from supporting these groups and end a policy that jeopardizes Iran's national interests and uses Iran's public funds instead of spending them for the welfare of the Iranian people on these foreign groups. However, in his remarks on Monday, Hassan Nasrallah praised Hamas and the Palestinians for 'turning the humiliating situation of Gaza and the despair of the people into anger and resistance,' referring to the high number of Palestinian casualties in protests on Monday, May 24, coinciding with the opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. He stated that the U.S. President will announce the details of the 'deal of the century' in two weeks. He preemptively stated that any Arab leaders who oppose Trump's plan will be punished by the U.S. The U.S. has emphasized that Palestinian leaders impose violence and misery on their people; the Trump administration reiterated on Monday, coinciding with the transfer of its embassy to Jerusalem, its commitment to continue efforts for a final and truth-based peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Hassan Nasrallah continues to repeat his occasional threats against Israel and warnings to the U.S. while living in hiding since the 2006 war and not being seen in public. Nasrallah delivered his latest speech on the occasion of the second anniversary of the death of Mustafa Badreddine, the commander of Hezbollah's military branch. Hezbollah attributed Badreddine's death to Israel, just as it had previously attributed the deaths of Imad Mughniyeh in a bombing ten years ago in Damascus and then Jihad Mughniyeh, the son of Imad Mughniyeh, to Israel. Mustafa Badreddine had become the military commander of Hezbollah after Jihad Mughniyeh.