The Shiite political faction Hezbollah has signaled no intention to widen hostilities with Israel in southern Lebanon. This stance was conveyed by Hashim Safieddin, who chairs Hezbollah’s board of directors, with his remarks carried by the Lebanese daily Naharnet.
During a gathering with party activists in Beirut, Safieddin asserted that Hezbollah is not seeking further clashes with Israel and emphasized a preference for restraint in the current climate.
Meanwhile, the party’s executive committee chairperson argued that the wider pattern of wars in the Middle East has been initiated by Israel, and that Hezbollah should not be blamed for the escalation of the regional conflict this time around.
Safieddin stressed that Hezbollah stands ready to respond to threats, noting that the organization’s determined posture acts as a deterrent, and that any brinksmanship from Israel would be met decisively should weakness appear on any side.
Activists had pressed for clarity on whether Hezbollah would consider launching a large-scale confrontation with the United States and Israel, given that other regional actors have entertained similar options in the past. Safieddin referenced this possibility while underscoring Hezbollah’s readiness to defend its position if aggression were to mount from outside forces.
His remarks come amid a cautious mood in Beirut, where officials and observers alike are watching for signs of any change in posture from the group as regional tensions remain fluid. The comments were presented as a reaffirmation of Hezbollah’s policy goals and a warning against miscalculations that could lead to broader conflict, according to coverage from Naharnet and corroborated by authoritative summaries of the event. [attribution: Naharnet]