‘Incentive to set foot in the Galilee’: Hezbollah official speaks on Israeli retaliation

Amid escalating tension over Israel's response to Hezbollah’s attack in Majdal Shams, which could lead to a regional war, a senior Hezbollah official revealed significant details concerning their plans for the Galilee on Monday in an interview with Al Jazeera.

According to the report, Hezbollah has promised to respond to any Israeli attack, regardless of its intensity.

"International envoys are indirectly raising with us the idea that we should not respond to the expected aggression under the pretext of the need to avoid escalation and sliding towards a comprehensive war," the Hezbollah official said. "We are capable of severely and devastatingly bombing military facilities in Haifa, the Golan, and Ramat David.

“We will definitely respond to any Israeli attack. Hezbollah's leadership will determine the form and intensity of our response to any possible aggression," he added.

The official also said, "The representatives informed us of their contacts with the enemy to minimize civilian casualties. This is a good thing, but we do not trust our enemy. Israel's terms for severe or limited strikes do not concern us at all - it is aggression regardless of its intensity. We take Israeli threats seriously and are fully prepared for the matter."

Efforts to limit Israeli retaliation

"The American adoption of the enemy's narrative did not surprise us. A ground invasion into Lebanon would be an incentive to set foot in the Galilee," the official added.

Senior American diplomats told Reuters on Monday that efforts are underway to limit Israel's response to the massacre in Majdal Shams, where 12 children were killed. "We are trying to prevent attacks on Beirut and its suburbs," they said.

Earlier on Tuesday, a Lebanese official told Saudi channel Al-Hadath that Lebanon had received a message about the impending Israeli military strike, described as "inevitable."

Lebanon has asked mediators to act to limit the strike, ensuring that Israel does not target Beirut or densely populated areas.