By Al-Ahed News, Live Coverage

Hezbollah Secretary General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah delivered a speech on Thursday, August 1, 2024, at the funeral ceremony of the martyr leader Sayyed Fuoad Shokor [Sayyed Mohsen] at the Sayyed Al-Shuhada [AS] Complex in Beirut’s southern suburbs.

His Eminence began his speech by expressing his heartfelt condolences to the Islamic nation following the assassination of Hamas Leader Ismail Hanyieh.

Addressing the recent tragic events, he stated, "The heinous attack resulted in the martyrdom of seven Lebanese citizens and one Iranian national, including the esteemed Leader Haj Mohsen."

Highlighting the solidarity between Hezbollah and Hamas, Sayyed Nasrallah emphasized, "We stand united with Hamas in our resistance and in honoring the sacrifices of our martyrs. Our shared struggle will inevitably lead to victory."

He extended his sympathies and commendations to the families of the martyrs, noting, "We deeply feel the pain of these losses and face every calamity with patience, acceptance of God’s will, and steadfast faith, as we are a people devoted to God."

Condemning the actions of the “Israeli” forces, the Hezbollah Secretary General remarked, "The ‘Israeli’ forces targeted a building densely populated with civilians in Haret Hreik during the assassination of the martyr Fouad Shokor”.

He further described the incident in Dahyieh [the southern suburb of Beirut], explaining, "The events in Dahyieh constitute not merely an assassination, but a blatant act of aggression. This assault targeted residential buildings, resulted in civilian casualties, and aimed at a prominent resistance leader."

Sayyed Nasrallah went on by framing these events within a broader context, asserting, "These actions are part of the ongoing ‘Israeli’-American campaign against our region."

Furthermore, the Resistance Leader has clarified Hezbollah's position on the recent “Israeli” attack on Beirut, stating, "‘Israel’s’ Tuesday attack on Beirut was not a reaction to the Majdal Shams incident."

He firmly denied Hezbollah's involvement in the incident, asserting, "We categorically deny any responsibility for the Majdal Shams incident and have the courage to admit if we had made such a mistake."

Addressing the narrative presented by the apartheid “Israeli” entity, Sayyed Nasrallah explained, "Days before their aggression, the enemy promoted the idea that their action would be a retaliation, but we do not accept this evaluation”.

He further elaborated on “Israel's” accusations, noting, "When the ‘Israelis’ discovered that the victims in Majdal Shams were mostly children and women, they decided to proceed with accusing us”.

Sayyed Nasrallah clarified the recent events, explaining, "The aggression on Dahyieh is not a reaction to the incident in Majdal Shams, but rather part of an ongoing war."

The Resistance Chief revealed that "several countries have requested Hezbollah to refrain from retaliating against the ‘Israeli’ strike on Beirut's Dahyieh."

Sayyed Nasrallah criticized the “Israeli” entity’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's intentions, stating, "Netanyahu sought to portray the assassination of our commander Fouad Shokor as a success to counter claims of his failures."

The Hezbollah Chief acknowledged the repercussions of their support for Gaza, saying, "We accept the consequences of our support for Gaza and the Palestinian cause. This is nothing new, and we are prepared to bear this cost."

Highlighting the solidarity in Lebanon, His Eminence said, "In Lebanon, we have all cooperated and supported each other, fully aware of the sacrifices involved. We are not surprised by any price we pay in this ongoing battle across all fronts."

Sayyed Nasrallah reiterated, "We are neither surprised nor deterred by the costs of this conflict."

Discussing the broader context, the SG noted, "This is no longer about isolated fronts, but rather a significant, open conflict spanning Gaza, southern Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq and Iran."

The Resistance Leader accused the “Israeli” entity of attempting to incite sectarian tensions, stating, "‘Israel’ is trying to create sectarian strife by accusing Hezbollah of attacking Druze individuals."

Addressing the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, Sayyed Nasrallah mentioned, "Iranian officials have declared that the assassination of martyr Haniyeh is an affront to their sovereignty, national security and honor." He emphasized, "The conflict is now open on all fronts and has entered a new phase."

Posing a rhetorical question to the “Israeli” entity, he asked, "Do they [in ‘Israel’] believe they can assassinate Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran without facing repercussions from Iran?"

Sayyed Nasrallah went on to say, "The Zionists have made a grave mistake by assassinating Hamas leader Haniyeh in Tehran. We have entered a new phase in this conflict, and the enemy must anticipate the retaliation of the region's honorable people."

Also in his speech, the Hezbollah Secretary General addressed the “Israeli” enemy, saying, "You may laugh now, but you will weep much more. You have crossed unknown lines and committed unprecedented acts of aggression”.

To both the “Israeli” enemy and their allies, Sayyed Nasrallah stated, "We have entered a new phase across all fronts, with escalation depending on the enemy’s actions."

He elaborated on the motives behind the assassinations, explaining, "The aim of targeting leaders is to break the spirit and subjugate the resistance and its people. However, those close to Netanyahu have informed him that this will not weaken our resolve."

Sayyed Nasrallah highlighted the historical resilience of the Resistance, noting, "Decades of ‘Israeli’ assassinations have failed to diminish the Resistance against the Zionists."

Reflecting on the recent loss, His Eminence asserted, "The martyrdom of our leader Fouad Shokor only strengthens the Resistance's determination to fight the Zionist ‘Israelis’”.

He described the current conflict, saying, "This is no longer about isolated fronts, but a significant, open battle encompassing Gaza, southern Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq and Iran."

The Resistance Leader stressed the futility of trying to pressure Gaza into surrendering, stating, "Attempts to force the resistance in Gaza to capitulate will not succeed; they will never surrender."

The Hezbollah Chief continued his speech with a warning, "The ‘Israeli’ enemy and those who support them must await our inevitable response, God willing...the days, nights and battlefield will tell."

Sayyed Nasrallah urged those concerned about the region’s stability to act, stating, "If anyone truly cares about the region’s future, they should exert pressure to end the war on Gaza."

He announced a return to routine operations, saying, "Starting tomorrow morning, we will resume normal activities within the Gaza Support Front, unrelated to the response for the assassination of Sayyed Fouad."

The Sayyed highlighted the unpredictability of their response, noting, "The enemy is unaware of where our retaliation will come from, whether from the north or south of Palestine, or if it will be a divided or simultaneous attack."

He affirmed the resolve in their actions, stating, "Our response to the attack on Dahyieh and the martyrdom of Sayyed Mohsen and the civilians will be decisive."

To reassure supporters, Sayyed Nasrallah said, "I assure the Resistance's supporters that we swiftly fill any void created when one of our leaders is martyred."

He emphasized the strength of the Lebanese Resistance, mentioning, "The Lebanese Resistance has an excellent generation of commanders ready to assume responsibilities."

Sayyed Nasrallah concluded his speech by stating, "We are aiming for a substantial response, not just any reaction."