The leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement warned on Wednesday that Israel’s recent strike in Qatar is a message to wealthy Gulf nations, suggesting they too could be targeted in the future if militant groups are defeated.
Naim Kassem’s statement came a day after Israel bombed sites in Qatar’s capital, Doha, aiming to hit Hamas’s political leadership. While the top Hamas leaders survived, the strike killed five lower-level members of the group and a Qatari security officer. Qatar has played an important role as a mediator in the Gaza war.
Hezbollah Chief Supports Qatar
“We stand with Qatar, which suffered aggression, and we also support Palestinian resistance,” Kassem said. He accused Israel of seeking to expand its control and establish a “Greater Israel” across the Middle East.
His comments came just days after Lebanon’s government approved a military plan to disarm Hezbollah. The group is supported by Iran and lost much of its strength in a 14-month war against Israel. The war came to an end after the U.S. intervened and mediated a peace deal.
Hezbollah Claims Arab Countries Will Be Next Target of Israel
Kassem said that Israel failed to achieve its expansionist goals because of the presence of resistance groups in Lebanon, Gaza, and other parts of the region. He also urged Gulf states to give political, financial, and social support to these groups. “If the enemy defeats the resistance, and it will not, your turn will be next,” he warned, pointing at Gulf countries like Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, which have normalized ties with Israel.
He added the ceasefire that ended the war has not stopped Israel’s attacks. He claimed Israel still carries out airstrikes in Lebanon almost every day, mainly against Hezbollah members. Israel says these strikes are meant to stop Hezbollah from regaining strength after losing many of its leaders in the war.
Hezbollah Dismisses Disarmament Calls
Kassem also called for unity in Lebanon. He said Hezbollah’s weapons could only be discussed as part of a national security plan. He rejected calls to disarm before Israel gives up five hills it occupies in Lebanon and stops its attacks.
The Israel-Hezbollah war caused heavy damage in the region. The World Bank said more than 4,000 people were killed in Lebanon, including many civilians, and losses were worth about $11 billion. In Israel, 127 people died, including 80 soldiers.
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