This Wednesday, June 19, the leader of Hezbollah attacked Cyprus, accusing him of supporting Israel. This is the first time the island has been threatened by the organization.
Towards prolonging the conflict in Gaza on European soil? Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah threatened Cyprus for the first time in a televised speech this Wednesday, June 19. Part of the European Union, the island is the geographically closest European country to the shores of the Middle East.
In his speech, the president specifically said he had “information” that Israel could use “Cyprus airports and bases” if the Jewish state was attacked.
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The latter added: “Opening Cypriot airports and bases to the Israeli enemy to target Lebanon means that the Cypriot government is a party to the war.” As a reminder, Cyprus is located 300 km from Israel and 200 km from Lebanon and maintains good relations with these two countries.
“Cyprus is in no way involved in this war”
“I have read the comments (Hezbollah’s leader, editor’s note) and I want to say that the Republic of Cyprus is not involved in this war in any way,” Cypriot President Nicos Christodoulits responded in a statement.
Cyprus is “part of the solution, not the problem,” he insisted, arguing that his country was “recognized by the Arab world and the entire international community” in using a sea route to transport humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The war in Gaza has led to violence along the Israel-Lebanon border between Hezbollah, an ally of the Palestinian Islamist movement, and the Israeli army, which has escalated in recent weeks.
On Tuesday, the Israeli military announced that “operational plans for an attack on Lebanon” had been “adjusted” and the head of diplomacy, Israel Katz, confirmed that “in a total war, Hezbollah will be destroyed and Lebanon will suffer severely.”
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“(The Israeli) enemy knows very well that we have prepared the worst (..) and if an attack is launched on Lebanon, he knows that no place (..) will be spared by our missiles”, launched Hassan Nasrallah. The movement, armed and financed by Iran, exerts a pioneering influence in Lebanon.
In the event of war, Israel “will be waiting for us by land, sea and air,” said the head of Hezbollah, which is considered a terrorist group by the United States and the United Kingdom.
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