Israel claimed it had preemptively struck Hezbollah sites in Lebanon before the attack, minimizing the damage within Israel.
Nasrallah highlighted the escalating tensions since Oct. 8, when Hezbollah and Israel began exchanging fire shortly after the Gaza conflict erupted. There is growing concern that this violence could escalate into a broader regional conflict involving Iran and the United States. These fears were heightened following the deaths of Shukr and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, believed to be orchestrated by Israel.
Despite the intensity of Sunday's attack, Nasrallah indicated that Hezbollah aimed to avoid provoking a large-scale Israeli response. He suggested that the operation had achieved its goals, successfully targeting Israeli military and intelligence sites, and accused Israel of hiding its losses.
Nasrallah mentioned that Hezbollah's retaliation might be over if it has successfully restored deterrence against Israel. The future of Israeli actions in Lebanon may hinge on the effectiveness of this strike.
The primary target of Hezbollah's attack was the Glilot base, north of Tel Aviv, which houses Mossad and Unit 8200, a military intelligence group. Nasrallah blamed these agencies for recent assassinations of Hezbollah commanders.
He emphasized that the attack struck deeper into Israeli territory than previous strikes, which were mainly in northern Israel and the Golan Heights. Nasrallah dismissed Israeli claims that the attack failed, asserting that Israel is concealing the damage inflicted on the Glilot base.
Nasrallah also explained that the timing of Sunday's attack was delayed for several reasons, including preparations after Israeli and U.S. military movements, and discussions within the "axis of resistance" — an alliance led by Iran against the U.S. and Israel — on coordinated attacks.
One key reason for the delay was to allow time for Gaza ceasefire talks, but Nasrallah criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for introducing new conditions that rendered the delay pointless.
In his speech, Nasrallah countered Israeli claims that it had prior knowledge of Hezbollah’s attack and mitigated its impact with a preemptive strike. He insisted that Israel was unaware of the planned assault and only struck sites already evacuated by Hezbollah.
Nasrallah also clarified that Hezbollah deliberately limited its rocket barrage to around 300, followed by drones, targeting Israeli military and intelligence sites while avoiding civilian areas.
Finally, Nasrallah acknowledged the fear in Lebanon following Shukr's assassination and the potential for war with Israel, but he suggested that Lebanon could now breathe a sigh of relief, at least temporarily.
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