Hezbollah Leader: Israel's Aggression To Jerusalem Is A Declaration Of War

Sayid Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah (Dailystar via Antara)

BEIRUT - Lebanese Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said Tuesday, May 25, that any aggression against Jerusalem or its holy sites would mean a regional war.

Nasrallah's comments, in a televised speech, were the first since the ceasefire ended the fiercest fighting in years between Israel and the Gaza-based Hamas militant group.

Israeli-Hamas hostilities began on May 10 in response to Israeli police raids on the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City and clashes with Palestinians during the holy month of Ramadan.

"When sacred sites face serious threats, there is no red line", Nasrallah said. "All resistance movements cannot sit still and see if sacred sites are in danger".

The Iranian-backed Lebanese group is a fierce opponent of Israel and Nasrallah's speech marked the anniversary of Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000.

Nasrallah also said the fighting showed Hamas had improved its rocket capabilities, which he said was a major military achievement.

"They have the ability to launch rockets for 11 days and they can continue", he said.