Hizbullah Chief Issues Fresh Threats against Israel after Border Violence

Hassan Nasrallah, secretary-general of the powerful Lebanese Shi’ite group Hizbullah, says it will start targeting Israeli drones. Nasrallah, who is generally believed to be in hiding since Hezbollah’s last all-out war with Israel in 2006, made the remarks Monday evening in a televised speech to supporters to make a Shi’ite holiday. “There is a new operational area [for Hizbullah], and it is Lebanon’s skies,” he said. “When it comes to dealing with the drones, it will happen. I won’t specify when and how, but it will come.” Hizbullah and Israel traded live fire across the border on Sunday, a week after the Iran-backed militia accused the Jewish state of sending explosive drones to attack its offices in southern Beirut. Israel remained silent in light of that accusation, but did take responsibility for killing two Hizbullah operatives it said were trying to launch an explosive drone of their own into Israeli territory from Syria. Hizbullah has been sending members to fight alongside troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in an eight-year civil war against numerous rebel groups.