This live interview, much expected in Israel and the Arab world, lasted for more than 3 hours.

Transcript:

[…]: Today, Israel considers and keeps repeating that the red line is that you manufacture, inside Lebanon or at the (Syrian) border, precision missiles. I remember, Eminent Sayed, that in 2006 or 2007, after the 2006 War, you astounded us, and you shocked the Israeli enemy by revealing that you (already) possessed missiles capable of hitting the most southern places of occupied Palestine, up to Beersheba. Now it is as if (Israel) discovered something new, namely precision missiles. Can you explain it to us?

Hassan Nasrallah: You see, a long time ago, (the Israelis) had a problem with us having missiles with a range greater than 20 kilometers. In general, Resistance movements had only Katyusha (multiple rocket launchers), with a range of 19, 20 or 21 km, depending on…

Thereafter, the Resistance acquired missiles with a range of 40 kilometers, that could reach Haifa. They tried to stop us (from having them), but they did not succeed. The Resistance then acquired missiles capable of going beyond Haifa.

Then, during the (2006) July War, I stated that we were able to strike “beyond, way beyond Haifa”, that is to say Tel Aviv. This is what I meant in the first place when I said “beyond, way beyond Haifa.” During the (2006) July War, we hit Haifa and we hit the center (of Israel). There was only Tel Aviv left (it was spared). Today, Israel…

Journalist: Excuse me, so that’s what you meant (during your first speech of the 2006 war)? This is the first time you explain this. (On July 14), 2006, when you said “beyond, way beyond Haifa”, you meant Tel Aviv?

Hassan Nasrallah: Of course. It is the main city beyond Haifa. And that is why, during the war, when Israel began threatening to hit Beirut, we threatened to hit Tel Aviv (in retaliation, and Beirut was spared thanks to this deterrent). And I can not threaten with something that the Resistance is not able to do.

With time, and because of (the failure of) all Israeli attempts (to deprive us of our missiles), (the enemy) got convinced that he’d never be able to prevent Hezbollah from possessing long-range missiles, – I mean at the scale of Lebanon and (occupied) Palestine –, powerful and destructive (missiles). It is an insoluble and hopeless problem (for them), isn’t it?

Now, Israel claims that the number (of precision missiles in our possession) is limited, hundreds or thousands at most, but it’s only a technicality. You saw (the panic) triggered by a single rocket falling on Ashkelon (launched by the Resistance in Gaza). Just imagine that at some point, a rain of these powerful and sophisticated missiles (in our hands) fall on Tel Aviv. What will be the (material and psychological) consequences? I invite the residents of Tel Aviv to answer this question.

Some of their generals rightfully say, and they are honest with their society, that the next war, if it happens, will have nothing to do with the previous wars, namely that the fighting would take place at the border, while the rest of the Israeli population would be sipping tea (peacefully) in Tel Aviv. No way ! It’s over ! In any future war, the whole of occupied Palestine will be a battlefield and war-torn.

When we had only those ‘normal’ missiles, that is to say long-range but not accurate missiles, – and even these missiles are quite capable of hitting Tel-Aviv, cities or large military bases, do not believe they are incapable of it, they have only an inability to hit specific points, such as the Ministry of Defense, the airport, the command building of an air base, etc. These missiles are said imprecise because they have a wide margin of error.

Precision missiles do not have a large margin of error. Their margin of error is from 5 to 10 meters. And in less favorable circumstances, for very distant targets, it can be 15 meters, let us even say 50 meters (at most). 50 meters are not much when it comes to a military air base, with extensive constructions (over hundreds of meters), etc. In fact, Israel has abandoned the issue of inaccurate missiles. Today, in all his statements, (Netanyahu) speaks of precision missiles.Will you allow me to make a joke meant for the Israelis?

Journalist: Please do.

Hassan Nasrallah: I declare to the Israeli people: your interest is to tell Netanyahu to let Hezbollah obtain precision missiles, it is better for you. For if the day comes when we hit Tel Aviv, if I have precision missiles, I will strike military buildings. But if I do not have precision missiles, I’ll target military installations, but I’ll make an error from 500 to 1000 meters. Thus, where will (our missiles) fall? On the inhabitants. The interest of the people, as inhabitants (all Israelis are reservists)…

Journalist: Is this a joke or a threat, Eminent Sayed?

Hassan Nasrallah: The interest of the people as inhabitants is for us to have (lots of) precision missiles.

Journalist: Is this a joke or a threat?

Hassan Nasrallah: Take it as you want.

Journalist: This is a threat in the guise of a joke.

Hassan Nasrallah: A joke, a threat, whatever you want. Anyway, the Israeli equation is now based on (the issue of) precision missiles. They can say as long as they want that they are hitting Syria – and we will come to their failure in Syria – to prevent precision missiles from reaching Lebanon or to prevent Hezbollah from owning precision missiles. On the 10th day of Muharram, a few months ago, I said that the issue was no longer relevant. That’s it, end of story. The strikes in Syria do not achieve any objective. They pretend to prevent something that has already happened and is already finished. This file is closed. Now Israel claims…

Journalist: You mean it’s over because you already have precision missiles?

Hassan Nasrallah: Of course. We have precision missiles in number (well) enough, and it is vain to hit Syria to achieve this goal, we have everything we need and it’s already too late.

Journalist: You have enough (precision missiles) to (do) what?

Hassan Nasrallah: We have enough of them to fight in any war to come. Now Israel claims that this number is (low)…

Journalist: Excuse me, but this number is sufficient to hit what?

Hassan Nasrallah: To hit any target we want to hit as part of our war plans. Israel is trying to undermine the issue by saying that this number is limited, good for them. If this (false claim) can reduce the pressure and embarrassment (for Netanyahu), it’s all the better, it will ease the tension in the region, etc. I will not discuss (with Netanyahu) on the number (of precision missiles in our possession). But I say that this subject is closed, and that we got everything we need.

Of course, (Netanyahu) also tried to do a hype (around this issue). For example, in his UN speech, he showed a map (of Beirut) and claimed that on such place, there was a missile factory, that under the Al-Ahed football stadium, there was a (missiles) warehouse, etc. That day (27 September 2018), in accordance with our policy of silence (meant to maintain the doubt and not to play into Israel’s hands), we did not confirm or deny (these accusations). The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lebanon, Gibran Bassil, has taken a very important initiative for which we thank him, because all (Western) embassies were pressuring the Ministry to ensure, at the request of their own Ministries of Foreign Affairs, that the locations indicated by Netanyahu (port, airport, stadium… were devoid of Hezbollah military installations). The (Lebanese) Minister of Foreign Affairs invited these embassies, and he inspected these places with them. And there are sheds at Ouzai (southern suburbs of Beirut, Hezbollah stronghold) that were opened at the request of (Lebanese) journalists who work with the (enemy’s) media. They were opened (and inspected), and they found nothing.

Netanyahu affirmed that there were missiles in these places, and (he later claimed) that we had moved them in 24 hours (just before the inspection), but if it were true, there should be videos, photos, satellite images (to prove this allegation), because (Israeli) surveillance drones are constantly in Lebanese skies. He would have proved that we had moved (such missiles or installations). (He has not done so) because his information was false. His information about (the presence of) our missiles was false and misleading. He tried (to hide this fiasco) in the same manner as for the issue of tunnels, (boasting of an illusory achievement).

As for us, we have precision missiles, we have all the precision missiles we need (in quality and quantity), and what we have, we no longer need to transport it or move it (neither from Syria nor within Lebanon). We have everything we need (in terms of precision missiles) for any battle or war that would be imposed on Lebanon. We absolutely have no need (for more), and we don’t suffer from any lack in this regard.

If Netanyahu believes that this number (of precision missiles in our possession) is low, if this (false) idea reassures him, I don’t have any problem. I do not want to tell Netanyahu that we have lots of these missiles because it would put pressure on him, no, I make sure to administer the proper sedatives his nerves need.

Journalist: To reduce the pressure on him. […]