Tel Aviv [Israel], June 20: Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah warned that he would attack Cyprus if the island nation supported Israel in its war with Lebanon.
Tensions between Hezbollah and Israel have escalated recently, raising the risk of another major conflict breaking out amid fighting in the Gaza Strip.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on June 19 warned of a war without rules or limits if Israel conducts a large-scale offensive campaign against Hezbollah, according to The Guardian .
He also threatened that Cyprus would be targeted if it allowed Israel to use its territory in the conflict. The Mediterranean island nation has a bilateral defense cooperation agreement with Israel and the two countries have conducted joint exercises.
In a statement on June 19, Mr. Nasrallah warned that opening airports and bases for the Israeli army to use to attack Lebanon would mean that Cyprus is a party in the war and resistance forces will deal with it. This
In response, Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides declared that the island nation is still not involved in any military conflict and "sees itself as part of the solution rather than the problem".
He emphasized Cyprus' role in the European Union's (EU) humanitarian support for the Middle East, supporting the opening of a maritime corridor to bring aid to the Gaza Strip.
The president said that Hezbollah 's statement was "unpleasant and does not reflect reality", emphasizing that Cyprus is not participating in any military conflict and is committed to peace and stability.
Leader Nasrallah's statement came a day after Israeli generals announced they had approved a broader attack plan against Hezbollah while Foreign Minister Israel Katz suggested that Israel was about to decide on the possibility of expanding hostilities.
To support Hamas and the Palestinians, Hezbollah has launched more than 5,000 rockets, missiles and drones toward Israel since October 2023. In contrast, Israel has conducted hundreds of air strikes in Lebanon and evacuated about 60,000 people from the northern border area. The Lebanese side evacuated more than 90,000 people.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
