Nasrallah: We will displace millions of Israelis
Hezbollah leader says IDF's military exercise is sign of weakness and vows to force millions out of their homes in a future war, following anonymous Israeli military official's statement that army would evacuate southern Lebanon's population in event of war.
Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah on Friday mocked Israel's recent military exercise, saying the five-day annual Turning Point 15 war simulation was a sign that the Jewish state knows its army has been defeated.
"Hezbollah will force millions of Israelis from their homes in the next war," Nasrallah vowed.
The comments followed a statement given in Israeli media on Thursday by an unnamed Israeli military official, who said that if given no choice, Israel would evacuate 1-1.5 million residents in Lebanon.
"They threatened to destroy, bomb, and displace a million and a half Lebanese," said Nasrallah. "This is part of the psychological war. Israel's threats are nothing new and the Israelis know that things have changed in the world.
"If Israel threatens to displace a million and a half Lebanese, then we will displace millions of Israelis. We are not scared of the war, and certainly not scared of your threats."
As Nasrallah remains embroiled in the seemingly endless Syrian quagmire, his organization invited a journalist from the As-Safir newspaper into its underground tunnels and sensitive sites, possibly in order to remind Israel of its deterrent capabilities.
"The type of concrete has changed, the ventilation system is different, and the methods for customizing weapons and food have changed," wrote the Hezbollah-linked publication's journalist, emphasizing the organization's upgrades. "Electricity is provided to tunnels 24 hours a day with the use of generators set up underground."
Nasrallah claimed that his group's activities in Syria alongside the Assad regime have not weakened it. "If you think we are dealing with Qalamoun and Syria, but that won't change a thing," he said. "This should scare you."
Hezbollah's chief also declared an end to "the era when Israel destroys our homes while its homes remain, and when Israel destroys our infrastructure while theirs remain. It ended in 2006 (during the Second Lebanon War). What's coming will be greater than 2006."
