Hezbollah Vows Retaliation as Civilian Casualties Mount in Lebanon-Israel Conflict

Hezbollah's leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, issued a stern warning to Israel on Wednesday, stating that new Israeli targets would be attacked if Lebanon's civilians continue to suffer from Israeli strikes. Recent days have seen a surge in non-combatant fatalities, with five Syrian civilians, including children, killed on Tuesday and three Lebanese civilians killed the day before, as reported by state media and security sources.

In response, Israel has maintained that it targets Hezbollah militants and infrastructure, not civilians. During a televised address marking the Shi'ite holy day Ashura, Nasrallah stated, 'Continuing to target civilians will push the Resistance to launch missiles at settlements that were not previously targeted.'

Hezbollah, heavily backed by Iran, remains an influential military and political entity in Lebanon. Tensions have escalated since Hezbollah declared a 'support front' with Palestinians following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israeli communities. The conflict has resulted in over 100 civilian deaths and more than 300 Hezbollah fighters' deaths. Nasrallah assured that destroyed homes would be rebuilt, emphasizing the group's continued resilience and readiness, despite not seeking a broader war.

(With inputs from agencies.)