A day after a senior Hamas leader was killed in a suspected Israeli drone strike in Beirut, the influential Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah delivered a highly anticipated televised address.
For most of the 80-minute speech on Wednesday, Nasrallah trod familiar ground, berating Israel for its ferocious bombardment of Gaza and the US for offering unbridled support. But in the closing minutes, the cleric’s voice grew louder as he threatened Israel for its “very dangerous” assassination of his ally Saleh al-Arouri, carried out in the Lebanese militant group’s own backyard.
Diplomats, officials and analysts have for months noted the pragmatism shown by Nasrallah, the enigmatic leader of one of the world’s most powerful paramilitary forces, which has traded fire with Israel on an almost daily basis over the past three months. But the killing of Arouri has significantly raised the stakes, delivered a blow to Hizbollah, and thrown into question whether Nasrallah’s restraint will still hold.