Lebanon’s capital city of Beirut – Ahead of his highly anticipated talk to his followers on Friday, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah made a number of contentious allegations about the recent confrontation between Hamas and Israel. When asked about the sad events that happened between Hamas and Israel on October 7, Nasrallah said in a speech given in Beirut that no foreign governments were involved.
Known for his impassioned speeches, Nasrallah didn’t hold back when he called the United States “The Great Satan.” In a further startling claim, he blamed the Israeli government for the atrocities committed by Hamas throughout the battle.
“From the very first hours, it was clear that the enemy was lost. You know it was the Sabbath, perfect timing by the commanders,” Nasrallah said, seemingly bragging about the attack’s timing on the Jewish Sabbath. He further described the Israeli response as delayed and disorganized, adding, “It took them hours to come out; they came out in a hysterical state, angry and in insane fashion.”
Nasrallah’s insistence that Israelis were responsible for the atrocities commonly associated with Hamas caused widespread consternation and anger. That’s why they committed massacres against Israeli settlers when they retook the settlements inside the Gaza envelope,” he said. It’s not Hamas.
Further, Nasrallah stressed that no foreign countries or entities were engaged in the Hamas killing. “Al Aqsa Typhoon was 100% Palestinian in terms of decision and execution,” he said, as translated by Al Jazeera. The fact that the entire operation was conducted in secrecy demonstrates that it was conducted in the best interests of Palestine and the Palestinian people. The resistance groups’ decisions are ultimately up to their individual leader, and they have little to do with global or regional issues.
Despite receiving funding from Iran, Nasrallah claimed that Hezbollah and Hamas were not under Iran’s control or mandate. He added, “They do not exercise any form of authority or mandate on these factions or in their command.”
Nasrallah’s address culminated in a provocative statement in which he appeared to applaud bloodshed and casualties. He referred to the massacre of innocent Israeli civilians, including women and children, as a “glorious operation.”
Nasrallah further claimed that the United States was to blame for Israel’s counteroffensive against Hamas militants in Gaza. It is imperative that we prove this, he said. The United States is entirely to blame for the current conflict in Gaza… This time it’s the United States demonstrating (Iran’s former supreme leader) Ayatollah Khomeini’s description of it as “the greatest Satan, the great devil,” to be accurate.
As the Middle East continues to struggle with its complicated and deeply ingrained issues, the reception to Nasrallah’s words has been varied both locally and internationally.