Israeli Defense Minister Gallant: Nasrallah Can Drag Lebanon To Pay High Prices

JAKARTA - Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned that Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah might see Lebanon "pay a very expensive price", while speaking with soldiers in a war simulation exercise.

"As is happening today, Nasrallah can drag Lebanon to pay a very expensive price," he told The Times of Israel Aug. 7.

"They can't even imagine what might happen," he said when he met the 646th Reserve Payung Deployment Brigade.

"This can also worsen into war. This is not a theory, this is real," he added.

Earlier, Hassan Nasrallah confirmed Israel would respond to the assassination of its senior commander Fuad Shukr in an attack in Beirut, Lebanon, last week, whatever the consequences, saying his group would act alone or with regional allies.

Stressing Hezbollah would wait for the right moment to respond, but not hinting at the shape or time, Nasrallah said all international efforts to persuade Hezbollah not to retaliate were in vain.

"Whatever the consequences, the resistance will not let this Israeli attack pass," he said in a televised address to mark a week of Shukr's murder.

"Our response, God willing, will be strong, effective, and impactful," he said in a speech greeted with cheers from members and supporters of Hezbollah gathered to watch on the southern suburbs of Beirut.

He said the response to the killing of important figures Hezbollah and Hamas would be more assertive. However, delaying it is part of a strategy to put psychological pressure on Israel.

"Iran will retaliate and Hezbollah will retaliate, while the enemy waits. Making the enemy wait is part of the punishment," he said.

It is known that fears of tensions in the Middle East turned into a massive war following Hezbollah's oath to avenge Shukr's murder, as well as Iran's anger over the murder of the Head of the Political Bureau of Hamas Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week.