Ahead of Nasrallah Speech, Pro-Hezbollah Media Lowers Expectations of War

Jerusalem, 3 November, 2023 (TPS) -- Editorials and polls in Lebanon’s pro-Hezbollah media continue to indicate that the terror group is looking for a ladder to climb down from previous promises to intervene in the Gaza War. The rhetoric comes ahead of widely anticipated speech by Nasrallah on Friday afternoon, his first since Hamas attacked Israeli communities on Oct. 7.

Hamas leaders feel betrayed by Iran and Hezbollah, Palestinian sources have told the Tazpit Press Service.

Al Mayadeen, regarded as a mouthpiece of Nasrallah, published on Thursday one particularly notable article which strongly suggested to Israeli analysts that Nasrallah will back away from escalation.

The article asserts that “Hezbollah has already had its say in fire for Hamas,” and therefore does not need to open a new front.

“This is not the place to draw red lines after they have all already been crossed in the Gaza Strip.”

The article dismissed criticism of Nasrallah as “nothing more than satire,” adding, “It must be emphasized that Hezbollah would prefer such criticism over criticism directed at it as the one who dragged Lebanon into war.”

Another indicator of Nasrallah’s intentions is a recent survey published in the pro-Hezbollah daily Al-Akhbar which stressed that 70% of Lebanese oppose entering the war. It also found that 97% of Lebanese Shi’ites — Hezbollah’s core constituency — prefer that the Lebanese Armed Forces intervene rather than Hezbollah.

However, an Iran-backed militia called the Imam Hussein Brigade is moving to southern Lebanon from Syria to bolster Hezbollah forces.

Established in 2012, the Imam Hussein Brigade is the largest militia financed by Tehran and is made up of mercenaries from Afghanistan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Syria and Iraq.

Nasrallah’s speech will also be parsed for indications whether he or Iran are deterred by the arrival of two US aircraft carrier strike forces in the region.

An Israeli diplomatic source told the TPS, “Although the indications are accumulating, in the end the ones who will make the decision for the Lebanese are the Iranians.”