Hezbollah leader says conflict with Israel in ‘new phase’ after killings

Large crowds dressed in black attended the funeral of Fuad Shukr, a senior commander of the powerful Lebanese militia and political movement who was assassinated by Israel during the current hostilities.
They brandished banners featuring Shukr’s face, waved the yellow-and-green Hezbollah flag, and sang some of the group’s slogans, occasionally with their fists up.
According to the Israeli military, Shukr was responsible for a missile attack that killed 12 children and teens on a football field in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights last Saturday. Hezbollah has denied involvement, however it first claimed an attack on a neighboring military installation, raising the chance that the missile did not hit its intended target.

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Shukr, also known as al-Hajj Mohsin, was claimed to be a close adviser to Hassan Nasrallah, the powerful and long-serving Hezbollah leader.
As hundreds gathered, Nasrallah delivered a televised address that was widely scrutinized for any hints about Hezbollah’s potential future steps.
He stated the battle with Israel has reached a “new phase” while speaking from a secret location, as he normally does for security concerns. The enemy must await the “inevitable response” since it has crossed “red lines,” he continued, claiming that the reply will be commensurate to Israel’s bombing of a civilian structure.
His tone suggested that the party was disinterested in another major confrontation with Israel. However, there are fears that they may be sliding into one.

“I am not terrified of battle. “We’re prepared for whatever Sheikh Nasrallah decides to do,” one man in the crowd told me. When asked if he expected Hezbollah would revenge for the death, another said, “Inshallah,” or God willing.
Shukr’s assassination on Tuesday, which also murdered six other people, including two young siblings, fueled worries that the relatively confined struggle between Hezbollah and Israel may erupt into an all-out war that could engulf the whole Middle East.

Hezbollah claims their campaign, which began one day after Hamas’ attacks on Israel on October 7, is in support of Palestinians in Gaza. The majority of the group’s attacks, as well as Israel’s counterattacks, have taken place near the Lebanon-Israel border.
Israel has traditionally regarded Hezbollah, which is supported by Iran, as a far more serious threat than Hamas. The organization possesses an increasingly advanced arsenal of weaponry, including assault drones and precision guided missiles capable of hitting deep into Israel.

A battle with Hezbollah would very certainly involve other Iranian-backed forces in the area, members of what Tehran refers to as the “Axis of Resistance,” such as the Houthis in Yemen and militias in Iraq.
Iran, too, has threatened to retaliate to the death of Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’ political commander, who was slain on Wednesday while visiting Tehran for the new Iranian president’s inauguration.
Iran and Hamas accuse Israel, which has remained mute. The death has dashed hopes for a successful truce and hostage release arrangement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. It is the major hope for defusing tensions with Hezbollah, and diplomatic attempts are ongoing to de-escalate the situation.

The Israeli military has stated that it is prepared for any situation as the country preparations for a possible reaction to the two assassinations.
Nasrallah’s address included scathing remarks against Israel, as predicted, but did not appear to foreshadow a larger battle at this time.