Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah directed threats at Israel during a rally commemorating three years since the death of Mustafa Badr al-Din, a senior official in the movement. Nasrallah said: "If Israel wants war? War it will be. Israeli army units that dare penetrate southern Lebanon – will be destroyed on live television for the whole world to see."

He added: "Our ground fighting capabilities are strong enough for Israel to take them seriously. Israel fears getting caught up in Gaza, which is vulnerable on all sides, so will Israel dare enter southern Lebanon?!"