Hezbollah leader says attacks against Israel intended to force end to "assault on Gaza"

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said on Friday that the group's attacks on Israel aim "to mount pressure on the enemy government and to stop the assault on Gaza."  

There have been near-constant skirmishes between Israel and Hezbollah since Hamas' attack on October 7, 2023.

Hezbollah has carried out over 670 attacks on Israeli positions, targeting 48 locations and 17 settlements, Nasrallah said in a video speech on Friday.  

Nasrallah claimed that these operations have resulted in a significant number of Israeli military casualties. The Israel Defense Forces have reported nine fatalities along the northern border since October 7. 

"A large number of Israeli troops have been killed or wounded since the start of these ongoing confrontations. … Hezbollah destroyed a large number of Israeli vehicles and tanks," Nasrallah said.  

The Hezbollah chief warned that people in northern Israel would be the first to suffer consequences in the event of a broader conflict. Nasrallah warned that if Israel was successful in Gaza, “south Lebanon will be next.” 

Nasrallah reiterated that the death of Saleh Al-Arouri, a senior figure in Hamas, in Beirut earlier this week will “not go unpunished.”