CAIRO, June 20. /TASS/. In a potential conflict with Israel and the United States, Lebanon’s Hezbollah Shia movement will do ‘what it sees fit,’ Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem said.
"We are not a neutral party in the conflict between Iran, and Israel with the United States. We are fully on Iran’s side, and, in the face of the Israeli-American aggression we will do what we see fit," he said in a written statement, published by Hezbollah’s official Telegram channel.
Qassem did not elaborate on whether the movement plans full-scale participation in the ongoing armed conflict.
The Al Hadath television reported on June 18 that Hezbollah may join Iran in its standoff with Israel if necessary. A source close to Hezbollah told the TV channel that if the movement decides to intervene into the armed conflict, it will use "heavy weaponry" against the Jewish state. However, the source emphasized that Hezbollah will join the conflict "only if the Iranian government feels that it is losing control over the situation."
Overnight into June 13, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, targeting Iran's nuclear program. Iran responded in less than 24 hours. In the following days, Tel Aviv and Tehran exchanged strikes again. Both parties reported casualties and damage, and admitted that a number of facilities had been hit, but said the damage was limited.
On June 13, Hezbollah strongly condemned Israeli strikes and expressed "full solidarity with the government and people of Iran." However, it stopped short of announcing that it joins the conflict on Iran's side.