Hezbollah says it will not be neutral in any war targeting Iran

Hezbollah’s Secretary General, Naim Qassem, said on Monday that the group would not be neutral in any war aimed at Iran, adding that it is ready to defend itself.

He was speaking in a televised address broadcast by the group’s Al Manar TV channel during a solidarity event with Iran in Beirut’s southern suburbs.

Qassem said Hezbollah would be a target in any possible Israeli attack on Iran. He added that mediators had clearly told the group that “the United States and the Israeli entity are considering several scenarios: striking Hezbollah first and then Iran, striking Iran first and then Hezbollah, or striking both at the same time”, without naming those mediators.

He said that “several parties” had directly asked him whether Hezbollah would intervene if the United States and Israel went to war with Iran.

Qassem said: “In light of these possibilities, and in the face of aggression that does not distinguish between us, we are concerned by what is happening, we are targeted in any potential aggression, and we are determined to defend ourselves.”

He added that Hezbollah’s response would depend on how the battle develops and on the existing interests, saying: “We will choose how to act in due course,” and stressing that “Hezbollah is not neutral in this matter.”

Commenting on threats to assassinate Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, Qassem said: “Any threat of this kind, whether it comes from US President Donald Trump or anyone else, means threatening millions, even tens of millions and more.”