Nasrallah: Hezbollah will target new sites if Israel continues attacks on civilians in Lebanon

(Patria) - Hezbollah will target new Israeli sites if Israel continues to target civilians in Lebanon, the group's leader Hassan Nasrallah said on Wednesday, highlighting the increase in the number of civilians killed in recent days. Five civilians, all Syrians and three of them children, were killed on Tuesday in Israeli attacks in Lebanon, and at least three Lebanese civilians were killed the day before, state media and security sources said, Reuters reported.

Israel said it is targeting Hezbollah militants and infrastructure in Lebanon and not civilians.

"The continuation of targeting civilians will prompt the Resistance to launch rockets at settlements that have not been targeted before," Nasrallah said during a televised address marking Ashura.

Israel and Hezbollah have been exchanging fire since Hezbollah announced a "support front" for Palestinians shortly after Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, triggering an Israeli offensive in Gaza.

Iran-aligned groups in the region, including Shiite armed factions in Syria and Iraq and Yemen's Houthis, also fired at Israel shortly after October 7.

Nasrallah promised that completely or partially destroyed houses would be rebuilt "more beautifully than they were before".

Nasralah downplayed Israel's ability to fight a major war in Lebanon, saying its military capabilities have degraded in Gaza and that all Israeli tanks would be destroyed if they entered Lebanon.

Fears among international observers have grown in recent weeks that Israel could expand its military operations in Lebanon, risking a wider war.

Israel said it is taking the necessary preparations for a broader operation, but the decision has not yet been made. Hezbollah said it does not want a war with Israel, but is ready for it.