“When the time comes for action, we will take it,” said the leader of the Lebanese extremist group
Hezbollah deputy chief Naim Qassem stated this Friday (October 13, 2023) that the Lebanese extremist group “knows well its duties” and is “fully ready” to contribute to the fight in the war between Israel and Hamas. The information comes from the Portal news agency.
“The question everyone is waiting for is: ‘What will Hezbollah do and what contribution will it make?'” Qassem said. “We will contribute to confrontation as part of our plan… When the time comes for action, we will carry it out,” he explained. The statement was made during a rally in southern Beiture, Lebanon.
According to the Hezbollah leader, it is the “behindthescenes appeals of major powers, Arab countries and UN envoys.” [Organização das Nações Unidas]” calling on the extremist group not to interfere in the Middle East conflict will “have no effect.”
On Thursday (October 12), Iranian Foreign Minister Hosein AmirAbdolahian said the war could unfold on “other fronts” if Israel’s bombing of the Gaza Strip is not stopped. The comment referred to the possible entry of other proPalestinian paramilitary groups into the conflict, such as Hezbollah.
“It is clear that if the war crimes against Palestine and Gaza continue, they will receive a response from the remaining Axis, and the organization and the countries that support them are responsible for these consequences,” he said. He met with Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah to discuss the war in Israel.
A day earlier, on Wednesday (October 11), the Israeli army bombed southern Lebanon in retaliation for attacks by Hezbollah, which claimed responsibility for firing rockets into Israeli territory. The IDF (acronym in English for Israel Defense Forces) announced this on its profile X (formerly Twitter) that the attack by the group Arab alAramshe hit a city in a region close to the country’s border.
UNDERSTANDING THE CONFLICT
Although this is the largest armed conflict in the region in recent years, the territorial dispute between Palestinians and Jews has been going on for decades. The two groups claim the area, which has important historical and religious landmarks for both ethnicities.
Hamas (Arabic acronym for “Islamic Resistance Movement”) is the largest Sunni Islamic organization operating in Palestine. It has a political arm and provides social services to the Palestinian people, most of whom live in poor areas with precarious infrastructure. However, the organization is best known for its armed wing, which fights for the sovereignty of the Gaza Strip.
The group seized power in the region in 2007 after winning elections in 2006 against the political and military organization Fatah.
The region has been the scene of conflict for the last century. There are records of offensives between Israel and Hamas in 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2019 and 2021, in addition to the 1st ArabIsraeli War (1948), the Suez Crisis (1956), the 6th Daily War (1967), 1st Intifada (1987) and 2nd Intifada (2000). Find out more here.
Tensions in the region began after the UN (United Nations) divided Palestine into Arab (Gaza and West Bank) and Jewish (Israel) areas1947 with the intention of founding a Jewish state. The Arab leaders did not accept the partition.
ATTACK ON ISRAEL
Hamas, a radical Islamic group with Sunni orientation, carried out a surprise attack on Israel on Saturday (October 7). Israel declared war on Hamas and began a series of reprisals in the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian territory that borders Israel and is ruled by Hamas.
Hamas attacks are concentrated in southern and central Israel. If Hezbollah advances again on the border with Lebanon, a new fighting focus could emerge in northern Israel.
Israeli Lt. Col. Richard Hecht stated that the country is “looking north” and that he hopes Hezbollah “does not make the mistake of joining.” [ao Hamas]“.
Learn more about the war in Israel:
- the extremist group Hamas launched an unprecedented attack against Israel on October 7 and claimed responsibility for the attacks the following day;
- Around 2,000 rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip. Extremists have also entered Israeli cities there are reports of kidnappings of soldiers and civilians;
- Israel responded by bombing targets in the Gaza Strip;
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war on Hamas (Oct. 8) and spoke of the group’s destruction;
- World leaders like Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron condemned the attacks Jewish organizations did the same;
- Iran and the extremist group Hezbollah celebrated Hamas’ action find out what it’s like in the tunnels Hezbollah uses on the LebanonIsrael border;
- Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant ordered a “complete siege” of the Gaza Strip on Monday (October 9). According to the United Nations, measures are prohibited under international humanitarian law;
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky compared the conflict to the war in Ukraine. He stated that Hamas was a “terrorist organization” while Russia could be considered a “terrorist state”;
- Lula called the Hamas attacks “terrorism,” but qualified the episode;
- The Israeli embassy in Brazil described Hamas as an “offshoot” of the Iranian regime;
- Arthur Lira (PPAL), President of the Chamber, and Rodrigo Pacheco (PSDMG), President of the Senate, also spoke and called for peace;
- Bolsonaro (PL) rejected the attacks and linked Hamas to Lula;
- Itamaraty confirmed the deaths of two Brazilians; 1 is still missing;
- UNDERSTAND Find out what Hamas is and the history of the conflict with Israel;
- ANALYSIS The conflict is between Iran and Israel and the possibility of escalation is uncertain.
- OPINION Uncertain days for the oil market, writes Adriano Pires;
- PHOTOS AND VIDEOS Watch images of war in the special playlist from Power360 on Youtube.