Read a live blog of the war between Israel and Hamas from Friday, November 3 here

Hassan Nasrallah, head of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, said the October 7 Hamas attack was “100 percent Palestinian.” During his first speech on the current war, he said Hamas’s move was “glorious” but said other groups in the Middle East had no idea about the advance plans.

According to the Hezbollah leader, the attack by Hamas “has exposed Israel’s vulnerability and weakness.” According to Nasrallah, Hamas has no choice but to attack. “The other option is waiting for peace, more repression and more deaths,” he said. So he called Hamas’s decision “brilliant, courageous, prudent and worth all these sacrifices.”

Nasrallah’s speech has been eagerly anticipated in recent weeks. There were fears that he would announce new attacks by Hezbollah, but that did not happen. During his speech, Nasrallah thanked the Iraqi and Yemeni fighters who are now engaged in a ‘holy war’. Houthi rebels have fired rockets at Israel from Yemen and hit targets.

In addition, Nasrallah lashed out at Israel’s allies: according to him, the US is ‘fully responsible’ for the war in Gaza. He wished the residents of the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank ‘patience, determination and determination’.

Editorial / ANP

Also read this profile by Middle East correspondent Jenny John Holdland on Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah: Nasrallah Goes to War with Israel, Even though He Has Much to Lose, Hezbollah?