Hezbollah warns Israel, U.S. as it prepares to receive Iranian oil

Leader of the Iran-backed terror group says more shipments expected follow to help Lebanon following financial meltdown; 'I say to Americans and Israelis, boat that will sail from Iran is Lebanese territory,' says Hassan Nasrallah
Reuters|
A shipment of Iranian fuel oil for Lebanon will set sail on Thursday organized by the Lebanese Shi'ite group Hezbollah, the group said, warning its U.S. and Israeli adversaries the ship would be considered Lebanese territory as soon as it sailed.
  • Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter

  • Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said further ships would follow to help the people of Lebanon, who are enduring crippling fuel shortages as a result of the country's two-year-long financial meltdown.
    2 View gallery
    A crew member raises the Iranian flag on Iranian oil tanker Adrian Darya 1, previously named Grace 1, as it sits anchored after the Supreme Court of the British territory lifted its detention order, in the Strait of Gibraltar
    A crew member raises the Iranian flag on Iranian oil tanker Adrian Darya 1, previously named Grace 1, as it sits anchored after the Supreme Court of the British territory lifted its detention order, in the Strait of Gibraltar
    An archive picture showing a man raising the Iranian flag on Iranian oil tanker Adrian Darya 1
    (Photo: Reuters)
    "We don't want to get into a challenge with anyone, we don't want to get into a problem with anyone. We want to help our people," Nasrallah said. "I say to the Americans and the Israelis that the boat that will sail within hours from Iran is Lebanese territory."
    "God willing, this ship and others will arrive safely," Nasrallah said, in a televised address commemorating Ashura, when Shi'ites mark the death of the Prophet Mohammed's grandson Hussein in battle in 680.
    Nasrallah, whose heavily armed group was founded by Iran's Revolutionary Guards in 1982, did not say where or when the ship would arrive, saying this would be discussed when it reached the Mediterranean.
    2 View gallery
     Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah
     Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah
    Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah
    (Photo: AFP)
    In April, Reuters reported that Hezbollah was preparing fuel storage space in Syria as part of its efforts to deal with the financial crisis in Lebanon, citing senior officials familiar with the efforts.
    The group has fighters and influence in neighboring Syria, where Hezbollah has fought in support of President Bashar al-Assad in the civil war.
    Comments
    The commenter agrees to the privacy policy of Ynet News and agrees not to submit comments that violate the terms of use, including incitement, libel and expressions that exceed the accepted norms of freedom of speech.
    ""