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Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said on Wednesday that the organization is ready to defend itself against any Israeli attack, in a statement that came just hours after reports of a skirmish on the Lebanon-Israel border, adding more tension to an already volatile situation.
Three Hezbollah members were injured in an explosion near the village of Boustane close to the border, according to multiple reports.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) tweeted that “multiple suspects” approached the security fence along the border in a “sabotage attempt.” The IDF “operated to distance them from the fence.”
Nasrallah addressed the incident in a speech late Wednesday, saying the incident is under investigation.
“The youth of the resistance have directions to act if an Israeli assault occurs,” said Nasrallah, according to Lebanon’s official National News Agency.
The incident and Nasrallah’s speech came on the anniversary of the 2006 Lebanon war fought between Israel and Hezbollah. The Iran-backed party fought Israel for three weeks during that war and claimed victory thereafter.
Background: Nasrallah's comments follow significant tensions over the Lebanese town of Ghajjar, located on the border between Lebanon and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. In recent weeks, Lebanon has accused Israel of building a fence north of the village, thus separating it from the rest of Lebanon.
In early June, Israel filed a complaint with the United Nations alleging that Hezbollah set up tents in Shebaa Farms — a nearby area that is likewise disputed but controlled by Israel. Later that month, Israeli forces fired tear gas at protesters near Kfar Chouba along the border.
Last week, Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry condemned what it said were “Israeli attempts to annex” Ghajjar. Israel also fired rockets into Lebanon last week in response to rockets being fired from Lebanon toward northern Israel.
Nasrallah addressed the situation in Ghajjar during his speech, saying the tents are in Lebanese territory and were erected after Israel started building the fence. He also criticized the UN.
“The UN was not able to prevent the recent Israeli steps in Ghajjar,” he said.
Why it matters: Border flareups between Israel and Hezbollah have occurred many times since the 2006 war, but tensions have risen especially high in recent months. In May, both Israel and Hezbollah held military drills near the border. The two drills previewed what a multi-theater war between Iranian proxies and Israel may look like, Ben Caspit wrote for Al-Monitor at the time.
