As Hezbollah mourns the loss of two top commanders, US Homeland Security spokesman John Kirby warned Sunday of possible Iranian retaliation against Israel for attacks on Hezbollah. Kirby added that the United States must be prepared for such a scenario, according to a Reuters report.
In a targeted attack Friday on Hezbollah’s bunker headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon, Israel neutralized the organization’s head, Hassan Nasrallah, and in another offensive reportedly killed top commander Nabil Kaouk. In this situation, the United States is closely monitoring how Hezbollah will attempt to address its leadership gap.
US Homeland Security spokesman John Kirby told CNN that pursuing “an all-out war with Hezbollah, certainly with Iran, is not the way” to ensure the safe return of the hostages, and emphasized that “a diplomatic path is the right path.” The United States, a long-time ally of Israel and its largest arms supplier, has been urging caution in the conflict.
During an interview with ABC’s Martha Raddatz, Kirby added: “There is no doubt that the Hezbollah of today is not the Hezbollah of just a week ago.” However, he warned that Hezbollah is expected to reorganize, adding that “someone will be anointed” to succeed Nasrallah as the group’s leader.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that more than 1,000 people have been killed and 6,000 injured in the past two weeks. The government also said that one million people, about 20% of the country’s population, have been displaced from their homes.
On Saturday, Iran promised to protect its national and security interests, although it did not provide details. Iran also called for a meeting of the United Nations Security Council to address Israel’s actions.
Disclaimer:
The information contained in this post is for general information purposes only. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the post for any purpose.
We respect the intellectual property rights of content creators. If you are the owner of any material featured on our website and have concerns about its use, please contact us. We are committed to addressing any copyright issues promptly and will remove any material within 2 days of receiving a request from the rightful owner.