Decoding Nasrallah’s messages on Lebanon and Syria
In his latest interview, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah seemed to adopt a more measured tone toward Israel when compared with his previous speeches.
After an absence of 77 days from the public eye since Nov. 10, Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah had a three-hour interview Jan. 26 with al-Mayadeen TV. Decoding his messages might be key to understanding how Hezbollah will deal with major challenges ahead, most notably tensions on the southern border with Israel and its military intervention in Syria.
In a relatively subdued tone, Nasrallah had a measured posture, evading a direct provocation of Israel, overly accommodating Lebanese politicians and acting as a political commentator on Syria instead of being assertive, as he is known to be.
The timing of this interview seems orchestrated to fit the Iranian strategy this week to heighten the rhetoric against Israel after suffering successive airstrikes in Syria — most recently on Jan. 21.
Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani was quoted Jan. 29 warning Israel that Hamas and Hezbollah are prepared to unleash an “inferno” against Israel.
