Israel warns not to `play with fire`, Hamas reveals Hezbollah's red lines 0
(Dan Tri) – Hamas said that Hezbollah will only increase its involvement in the conflict between Israel and Hamas if Hamas is completely eliminated in Gaza.
Members of Hezbollah conduct exercises in Lebanon (Photo: Reuters).
Representative of the Hamas force in Beirut, Ahmed Abdul Hadi, said on November 13 that the Lebanese Hezbollah force is not yet ready to participate in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, and stated that Hezbollah will only strengthen its forces.
`Now is not the time (to go to war). The red line for Hezbollah is when (Hamas’s) resistance forces in Gaza are completely destroyed,` Mr. Hadi said.
While the Israeli military has repeatedly battled Hezbollah militants across the Lebanese border in recent weeks, the group’s second-highest commander, Naim Qassem, said the clashes were merely `aimed at reducing
Other senior officials refused to reveal Hezbollah’s `red lines` for the group to become more deeply involved in the Israel-Hamas conflict, and said their response would depend on Israel’s actions.
However, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Hezbollah, said last weekend that the group was stepping up its activities and there had been an `upgrade` in operations along the front with Israel.
`There has been an improvement in the number of operations, scale and targets as well as an increase in the type of weapons,` the Hezbollah leader said.
The Israeli military has warned that Hezbollah would make a `serious mistake` if it stepped up attacks on Israeli forces.
Meanwhile, on November 12, at least 10 civilians and seven Israeli soldiers were injured by mortar fire, rockets and anti-tank missiles fired from Lebanon into northern Israel, according to military authorities.
The above attack is the most serious incident involving civilians along the Lebanon-Israel border since an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon on November 5 killed a woman and three children.
Lebanon is located north of Israel (Photo: BBC).
The Wall Street Journal quoted Israeli officials on November 13 as saying that the risk of a `full-scale conflict` between Israel and forces in Lebanon has increased in recent days, amid continued fighting.
Israeli officials warn that if a full-scale conflict breaks out with Hezbollah forces in Lebanon, they will destroy this armed group’s stronghold.
Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for using armed drones to attack Israeli military positions along Israel’s northern border in recent days.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on November 13 confirmed the fighting on the Israel-Lebanon border, and warned that those who want to expand attacks against Israeli forces are `playing with fire.`
`Firepower will be met with much stronger firepower. They should not test us because we have only shown a part of our strength. We will cause losses to those who harm us,` he said.
Hezbollah is a Shia Muslim armed group backed by Iran and also a major political party operating in Lebanon.
The threat from Hezbollah causes concern for Israel due to the group’s military potential surpassing that of Hamas.
