Addressing Israel, Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah asserted: “If you kill one of our fighters, we will kill one of your soldiers. We don’t care to retaliate by hitting machines or locations or causing material damage”.

The Israeli army reported that “during operational activity in northern Israel last night, shots were fired from Lebanon toward IDF troops. We responded with fire, and our aircraft struck Hizbollah observation posts near the border”. Defence Minister Benny Gantz asserted that “we will not allow [Hizbollah leader Hassan] Nasrallah to harm our soldiers or our country. We will respond forcefully to any incidents on our border”. Prime Minister Netanyahu said “Israel views the gunfire against our troops by Hizbollah with great severity”, and urged “Hizbollah not to test the strike force of Israel. Hizbollah is again putting Lebanon at risk because of its aggressiveness”.

Hizbollah reported that it had intercepted an Israeli UAV in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military stated that “an IDF drone fell in Lebanese territory. There is no fear of classified information leaking”.

A senior U.S. diplomat indicated that “we will not be providing that kind of long-term assistance [to Lebanon] until we see a government that’s actually capable of reform and change… We have been able to deal with governments in the past with a Hizbollah component, but the question is whether it is going to be a government that’s truly capable of reforms. Reforms are contrary to the interests of all of the status quo leaders and that very much includes Hizbollah, which is today perceived as a big part of the problem”. 

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo hailed “the guilty verdict handed down by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) against Hizbollah operative Salim Ayyash for his role in the February 14, 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri”. He further reiterated that “Hizbollah and its members are not defenders of Lebanon as they claim to be but constitute a terrorist organisation dedicated to advancing Iran’s malign sectarian agenda… Hizbollah’s terrorist and illicit activities in Lebanon and throughout the world demonstrate that it is more concerned with its own interests and those of its patron, Iran, than what is best for Lebanon and the Lebanese people”. On a similar note, Israel’s Foreign Ministry argued that “Hizbollah has taken the Lebanese people’s future hostage on behalf of foreign interests. The world must unite against this terror organization… Hizbollah’s armament, precision guided missile project and belligerent actions across the region threaten the entire Middle East”.​

Referring to the 20 July death of a Hizbollah fighter in a suspected Israeli strike in Syria, Hizbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah asserted that “Hizbollah will respond, but the response will be studied and measured, only [a] serious, calculated action would be taken, not media stunts”.

Speaking with his French counterpart, President Rouhani asserted that “Lebanon needs more unity among political groups and we must all help to create this unity. Lebanon today needs a strong government, and the Lebanese parliament and all parties must work together in this regard”. According to an Iranian readout, Rouhani “also welcomed the French president’s invitation from Iran to join the international action group to help resolve Lebanon’s problems”.

Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz contended that “while [Hizbollah leader Hassan] Nasrallah is our biggest enemy to the north, he is the biggest problem for Lebanon… We are fighting enemies that keep weapons and operate in civilian surroundings. If we don’t have a choice but to fight, it will have dire consequences”. He also remarked that “Iran is interested in opening a terror franchise in Syria, and we must prevent the opening of this franchise as much as possible. We are operating in Syria and in other places around the region all the time and with all kinds of methods, and we will continue to do so”. The following day, Prime Minister Netanyahu told the French president that “in order to prevent disasters like the one that occurred at Beirut port, the explosives and missiles that Hizbollah has hidden must be removed from all concentrations of civilian population in Lebanon”. “Hizbollah is sorely mistaken if thinks it can solve the crisis in Lebanon by creating a crisis with Israel”, he added.

Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab announced his cabinet’s resignation in the wake of a major 4 August explosion in Beirut’s port. “A political class is using all their dirty tricks to prevent real change”, Diab remarked. “Today we will take a step back in order to stand with the people”.

The Israeli military announced that it had “identified, monitored and downed a drone which infiltrated into northern Israel along the Blue Line”.

Media reports citing Bahrain’s Interior Ministry indicated that the country had “foiled two attempts to smuggle explosives from Iran after seizing two cars loaded with explosive materials”, adding that “those arrested confessed to Lebanon’s Hizbollah group being behind the operation”.

The Israeli army announced that it had “thwarted an attempt by four terrorists to place explosives near the security fence between Israel and Syria. Our troops and aircraft fired toward the squad and a hit was identified”. Israel’s top military official on 7 August argued that the “squad was sent by Iran, which was part of the process of establishing a radical axis in Syria”. The IDF confirmed that it had responded to the incident by targeting Syrian “observation posts, intelligence collection systems, anti-aircraft artillery and command and control systems”. Syrian state media reported “material losses” from the attack. Prime Minister Netanyahu later maintained that “we hit a cell and now we hit the dispatchers. We will do what is necessary in order to defend ourselves. I suggest to all of them, including Hizbollah, to consider this”.

The White House extended by one year the national emergency with respect to Lebanon, stating that “certain ongoing activities, such as Iran’s continuing arms transfers to Hizbollah – which include increasingly sophisticated weapons systems – serve to undermine Lebanese sovereignty, contribute to political and economic instability in the region, and continue to constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the U.S.”

At a session of the Supreme Defence Council, Lebanese President Michel Aoun denounced “the Israeli aggressions on south Lebanon yesterday… and considered what happened as a threat on stability in southern Lebanon”.  Meanwhile, the IDF deployed further military and intelligence support to Israel’s northern border. The same day, Prime Minister Netanyahu met with top military officials at IDF Northern Command headquarters, assessing that “everything happening now is the result of the effort by Iran and its Lebanese proxies to entrench militarily in our region. [Hizbollah leader Hassan] Nasrallah is serving this Iranian interest at Lebanon’s expense”. “We will continue to take action to thwart Iran’s military entrenchment in our region”, he added. Relatedly, Defence Minister Benny Gantz remarked that “I suggest that the countries of the region – near and far, Iran, Lebanon, Syria and anyone involved in terrorism – remember that the State of Israel has infinite capacity and we know how to use it”.

The Israeli army announced that it had “thwarted an infiltration attempt by a Hizbollah terror squad in northern Israel”. Addressing the Knesset, Prime Minister Netanyahu affirmed that Israel would “not allow Iran to entrench militarily on our border with Syria”, underscored that “Lebanon and Hizbollah will bear responsibility for any attack against us emanating from Lebanese territory” and indicated that “We are active in all arenas for the security of Israel – both close to our borders and far from them”. Hizbollah subsequently issued a statement maintaining it “did not engage in any clash, nor did it open fire during today’s incident… The scared and tense enemy unilaterally opened fire”. It further pledged an “inevitable” response to the 20 July death of a Hizbollah fighter in Syria and insisted that “today’s Israeli bombardment… will not remain unanswered”. Later in the day, Netanyahu asserted: “[Hizbollah leader Hassan] Nasrallah is embroiling Lebanon because of Iran… we view the attempt to infiltrate our territory with great severity”. “Hizbollah needs to understand that it is playing with fire. Any attack against us will be met with great strength”, he added.

Prime Minister Netanyahu told his cabinet that “we are acting according to our consistent policy of not allowing Iran to entrench militarily on our northern border. Lebanon and Syria bear the responsibility for any attack against Israel emanating from their territories”. The same day, Defence Minister Benny Gantz visited the northern border and listed “removing Iranian entrenchment in Syria, blocking the transfer of advanced [weapons] and preventing the development of precision [guided missiles] anywhere in the region – in Syria or in Lebanon” as Israel’s security interests. “We don’t want any unnecessary escalations, but anyone who tests us will be met by a very high capability to take action, and I hope we won’t need to use it”, he added, while further anticipating that “there can be [security] events on the border. We are prepared for all possibilities”.

The Israeli army reported that “during an Israel Defense Forces operation on the Lebanese border, an IDF drone fell in Lebanese territory”.

The Israeli army confirmed that “explosions were heard adjacent to the security fence from the Syrian side of Israel’s northern border. Damage to a civilian building and an Israeli vehicle was likely caused by fragments”. It subsequently also raised “readiness to defend Israel’s northern border from all enemy threats with changes to troop deployment and enhanced field intelligence activity in the area”, asserting: “we hold the Lebanese government responsible for all actions emanating from Lebanon”. Later on, the IDF announced that “earlier today, munitions were fired from Syria toward Israel. In response, our aircraft struck military targets in southern Syria belonging to the Syrian Armed Forces”, describing these as “SAF observation posts and intelligence collection systems located in SAF bases”; Syria media reported two casualties. “We hold the Syrian regime responsible and will respond to any violation of Israeli sovereignty”, the IDF warned.

Media reports indicated that a suspected Israeli strike “hit weapons depots and military positions belonging to Syrian regime forces and Iran-backed militia fighters south of Damascus”. Syrian state media reported injuries to “at least seven Syrian troops”, while Hizbollah confirmed one fatality from its ranks. On 23 July, the Israeli army announced that “in accordance with a recently-concluded situational assessment, we have decided to reinforce the Northern Command with select infantry forces”. Responding to suggestions that Israel may have sent a message to Hizbollah after the incident, Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz said: “we acted against the entrenchment of Iran in Syria. If someone involved in Iran’s activities in Syria – which we will continue to act against – this is liable to happen. We take that into account”.

The Israeli military announced that “IDF soldiers spotted and monitored a drone infiltrating Israeli airspace from Lebanon… We will continue to operate to stop any attempt to violate Israeli sovereignty”.  

Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon reportedly indicated that “Iran will support Lebanon in all the domains [electricity, medical drugs, agriculture, industry…] upon its request… [and] is ready to accept the Lebanese Pound in the trade exchanges with Beirut”. He added that he had been “meeting with the Lebanese officials to coordinate the economic cooperation”.

CENTCOM Commander Kenneth McKenzie visited Lebanon and met with senior Lebanese officials including President Aoun. During the visit, McKenzie emphasised that “we will continue to support the Lebanese armed forces as a sole armed representative of the government of the Lebanon”. He further described military cooperation between the two countries as “deep”, which would “transcend any perturbation of political things that might otherwise disturb it”.

Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah discussed “Iran’s readiness to sell Lebanon oil with the Lebanese pound” and stated: “I prefer that official talks between Lebanon and Iran take place away from media, and I can guarantee such offer… heading east is one of choices to confront starvation. This choice sends a message to the U.S. that whoever wants to besiege Lebanon will fail in this policy”. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo subsequently underscored that Iranian oil “would be sanctioned product for sure, and we’ll do everything we can to make sure that Iran cannot continue to sell crude oil anywhere, including to Hizbollah… Hizbollah is a terrorist organisation and we are supportive of Lebanon as long as they get the reforms right and they are not a proxy state for Iran”. Lebanon’s energy minister on 9 July indicated that “there is no plan to negotiate with Iran at present about importing fuel and the current discussion is with Iraq”.

Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz argued that “Hizbollah has been building an Iranian-backed weapons arsenal and manufacturing precision-guided missiles that could reach any part of Israel. Lebanon will be held accountable should any of these missiles find a way to us”. “I expect it to practice a state of responsibility, especially as it seeks international funding”, he added. “Israel will not accept any excuses, and neither should anyone else”.

Israel’s ambassador to the UN called on the Security Council “to act swiftly and with great resolve to respond to the Iranian regime’s violations, by using all means necessary to extend the arms embargo on Iran beyond the current October deadline”. He argued that Iran’s “illicit arms to its proxies… freely transported throughout the Middle East and used by armed militias and terrorist groups, poses a strategic threat not only to Israel, but to the entire region”. “Through its Quds Force, Iran does not stop at the mere illicit transfer of arms to Hizbollah, but also contributes to the development of Hizbollah’s self-production capabilities”, he added. “This project, taking place on Lebanese soil, exploits the local population by using local civilians as human shield to conceal its illicit activities, thereby not only contravening multiple Security Council resolutions, but also violating international law”.

The U.S. Special Representative for Iran, Brian Hook argued that “economic pressure and diplomatic isolation works. It is the only language that this regime understands. We have seen this across the Middle East… Iran is operating in a much less permissive environment than when we took office”. Citing protests in Lebanon and Iraq, Hook contended that “the Iranian model is being rejected… Iran is a failed model”.

The U.S. ambassador to Lebanon posited that “by its actions and threats, Hizbollah destabilises the country and jeopardises the country’s economic recovery”, adding that while Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah “accuses us of starving Lebanon”, this was “classic deflection blaming everything on the U.S. when we are [Lebanon’s] largest donor… [Hizbollah] siphoned off billions of dollars that should have gone into government coffers”. The ambassador further maintained that “we continue to have very serious reservations” regarding Prime Minister Diab’s independence from Hizbollah, “and we also have not yet seen what we would have hoped for from this government, in the way of concrete steps to implement reforms”. Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry subsequently summoned the ambassador, and a court issued an order “prohibit[ing] any Lebanese or foreign media outlet operating on Lebanese soil… from conducting any interview with the American Ambassador for a period of one year”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu opined that “three main challenges are before us, and we are taking action without respite against them: First, we are taking constant action against the efforts of Iran and its proxies to entrench militarily in Syria. The Iranian military must leave Syria. Second, we are taking action against the efforts of our enemies to develop precision missiles in Syria, Lebanon and other areas. Third, and most importantly, we will not allow Iran to attain nuclear weapons”. “Iran is continuing to lie to the international community in its effort to achieve a bomb”, Netanyahu argued. “I have been claiming this for years and today the International Atomic Energy Agency, the IAEA, understands this”. He further affirmed that “we regard with utmost seriousness the threats of destruction against Israel by Iranian and pro-Iranian elements… Whoever tries to attack us places himself in very great danger”.

Israel’s top military official assessed that “Iran has become the most dangerous country in the Middle East… It has made considerable progress in its nuclear program, but the nuclear [threat] is no longer the only threat”. “Iran also holds conventional weapons”, he added. “It is supporting and financing our enemies in the first circle and chiefly Hizbollah, it influences and supports Hamas and the Islamic Jihad and it is behind attempts at terror actions against Israel in a variety of dimensions and arenas, near and far”.

Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah asserted that “the U.S. is using Lebanon and its economy to achieve their interests, among which are Israel’s security and the land and maritime borders”. He further affirmed that “whoever puts us between the option of withdrawing our weapons or killing us with hunger, we tell them: our weapons will remain in our hands and we will not starve, we will kill you”. Nasrallah also maintained that the “U.S.’s resort to Caesar’s Act is evidence of Syria’s victory in the military and field war, it is its last weapon… whoever calls to close [Lebanon’s] borders with Syria will later call us to open the borders with Israel”.

CENTCOM commander Kenneth McKenzie indicated that “we worry about their [ie, Hizbollah’s] relationship to Iran, although I do not think that the Lebanese Hizbollah necessarily answers immediately when Iran calls. I do think they have a strong and powerful relationship”.  He further maintained that “the counterbalance for us is the LAF, the Lebanese Armed Forces. Not a perfect relationship and not a perfect organisation by any means, but one that we should view, aspirationally, is ultimately the expression of state security in Lebanon”. “I know that people occasionally get frustrated with the LAF and we talk about cutting on and off funding”, he added, “[but] I support continued funding to the LAF because… it's the best that we can do under very difficult circumstances”.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, meeting with his German counterpart, assessed that “the greatest threat to regional stability is Iran. Their nuclear program and regional ambitions remain a great concern. We will not allow Iran to have nuclear weapons and we will not allow Iranian entrenchment on our borders”. Ashkenazi went on to contend that “Iran’s backing of Hizbollah’s precision-guided missiles project should bring increasing international pressure. The aim of this project is to give Hizbollah a strategic offensive capability that would directly threaten Israel and Israeli civilians. We won't tolerate it”.

Israeli President Rivlin opined that “Hizbollah continues to entrench in Lebanon, gathering and arming itself with weapons to hurt Israel. We are determined to destroy these nests of terrorism, their operators and messengers”. “As long as Hizbollah is part of Lebanon, the Lebanese government is held responsible”, said Rivlin. “We will take every step to prevent war, but we will not hesitate to strike at our enemies”.

Hizbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah argued that “Israel is aware that any attack on Lebanon will not pass without a response”, adding that “the latest Israeli attack on a car that had members of Hizbollah in it in the Syrian territories without causing casualties was not an Israeli error… Israel intended not to hurt the men in that car because it was aware that the equation today is that there would be a response on any assassination”. He further noted that “America wants to humiliate Lebanon and impose its conditions on it”… the solution for the economic crisis is to abandon U.S. satisfaction and head east [ie, China]”. Nasrallah also “ruled out [the possibility of] any war between the U.S. and Iran or between Israel and Lebanon unless the U.S. or Israel decide to make a stupid act”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu told the cabinet that “the security challenges have not stopped for a moment, neither have the threats. You certainly heard the ruler of Iran, Khamenei, threatening our destruction. Whoever threatens us with destruction will certainly not succeed, but places himself in great danger”. “Our policy is to oppose Iranian aggression in every place and to oppose Iran’s attempts to entrench in Syria”, Netanyahu added. “We are active constantly and… oppose Iran’s attempt to place or develop in Syria weapons to serve its proxies and forces that could endanger the State of Israel”. In related remarks, Defence Minister Benny Gantz indicated that “we are still keeping a close watch on the military fronts in Lebanon and Syria. The security problems that could happen in the north have not passed… We have to stretch our hand out to peace on every front – and have the military strength that can ensure we will reach peace and preserve it”.

Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah assessed that “we are so close to liberate al-Quds [ie, Jerusalem] thanks to faith, steadfastness, patience and sincerity of Axis of Resistance’s powers…We, Hizbollah, pledge to stand by the oppressed people of Palestine”. In related remarks two days later, Nasrallah acknowledged that “liberation cannot be achieved in one, two or three years. It could take generations”. He also contended that “any talk of an Israeli-U.S. direct war is far away, their priority is to compose sanctions… we are heading towards a new international and regional situation where new threats might appear”.  

The U.S. convened the UN “Security Council to meet under its 2231 Format to discuss Iran’s April 22 satellite launch”, which it called “yet another example of Iran’s relentless defiance of UN Security Council Resolution 2231”. According to the U.S. mission, its representatives “highlighted Iran’s ongoing violation of the UN arms embargo in Resolution 2231, reminding Council members that Iran continues to funnel weapons to proxy forces and terrorist groups in places like Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Bahrain”. The U.S. also argued that “Iran’s continued violations of the Security Council’s arms embargo demands greater pressure from the Security Council, not less, and the U.S. will work tirelessly with a coalition of concerned nations to ensure the embargo is extended”.

Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah contended that the “Israeli defence minister… is talking about fake victories in Syria. The Israelis lose the war in Syria, and they have been targeting all what is related to missiles manufacturing in Syria, because they believe that missiles pose a high risk to Israel”. Nasrallah also argued that Israel had “set a fake goal for Syria” in seeking an Iranian withdrawal, on the grounds that “there have been no Iranian troops in Syria but rather there have been military advisers who train forces and coordinate Tehran’s support to Damascus”.

A senior U.S. diplomat indicated that “Iran has been persistent in its efforts to establish this beachhead basically on Israel’s border and to bring in advanced weaponry and assets targeting Israel and moving equipment… through Syria to Hizbollah with this sort of land bridge. We see repeatedly, oftentimes with no claims of responsibility, that these assets are being hit with great regularity, just pounded, and it would make sense at a certain point that Iran would want to cut its losses and downsize its presence there just because it’s increasingly costly to them in terms of life and property”. The official added that the Iranians “would be well advised to start using some of this investment in this military infrastructure in Syria and with Hizbollah to start spending some of that money on their own people who are suffering terribly from COVID”.

A senior U.S. diplomat indicated that “Hizbollah is an enormous factor in this [Lebanese] government and it is a Hizbollah-backed government… We are not giving money to the Lebanese Ministry of Health because it is run by Hizbollah”. He further indicated the U.S. was “delivering humanitarian and food aid to suffering Lebanese and refugees” amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Asked about reported Israeli strikes in Syria, the U.S. Special Representative for Syria, James Jeffrey, noted that “the U.S. supports Israel’s efforts to secure its self-defence. Israel is facing an existential threat from Iran, as they have said a thousand times that their mission is to destroy Israel. The Iranians are in Syria in large numbers, passing on long-range weapon systems to Hizbollah that threaten Israel”. “We give the support that is needed for effective Israeli actions to protect itself, and in protecting itself it is protecting all neighbors of Assad: Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and Lebanon”, he added. Jeffry also maintained that “our policy is that all Iranian-commanded forces have to leave Syria, along with frankly all other military forces that entered after 2011. This includes the U.S., if all of the reports are correct about the Israeli Air Force that would include the Israelis, and it would include the Turks… The Russians entered before 2011, therefore they are exempt”.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu hailed Germany’s announcement that it had “banned all activities by the Shiite terrorist organisation Hizbollah”, and asserted that “all peace-loving countries need to condemn the terrorist organisations and not give them any direct or indirect assistance”. Foreign Minister Israel Katz called the German move “a valuable and significant step in the global fight against terrorism”, and urged “additional European countries and the European Union to adopt this necessary policy”. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also praised the announcement and argued that “obstructing this terrorist organisation’s ability to plot terrorist attacks and to raise money will further reduce Iran’s malign behaviour and influence”. Describing Hizbollah as “a terrorist organisation dedicated to advancing Iran’s malicious agenda”, Pompeo “urge[d] other EU member states to follow suit and hold Hizbollah accountable for its terrorist activities”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson emphasised that “the German government’s decision has been made with complete disrespect for the Lebanese government and nation, as Hizbollah is an official and legitimate part of that country’s government and parliament”. He further argued that Berlin “must be held accountable for the negative consequences of its decision for the fight against the true terrorist groups in the region”, referring to ISIS.

An Israeli military spokesperson reported that “we found three locations where our security fence along the Blue Line was damaged tonight. After searches, [there was] no risk of penetration into Israel”. He further asserted that “we hold the Lebanese government responsible for actions from its territory”.

The United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported a “short standoff” between Israeli and Lebanese forces. A UNIFIL spokesperson noted that “our troops were in the middle with the aim of preventing misunderstandings and decreasing tension… Shortly after the situation went back to normal”. The spokesperson also indicated that “no breach of the Blue Line occurred”.

Citing a Hizbollah official, media reports indicated that “two missiles from an Israeli drone targeted a four-wheel-drive vehicle carrying two members of Lebanon’s Hizbollah… near the Syria-Lebanon border, but neither person was hurt”.

A senior Hizbollah official asserted that “Hizbollah is now ready to confront any Israeli war on Lebanon whenever it erupts”. He further argued that “the U.S. administration enhances the [COVID-19] pandemic outbreak by insisting on its sanctions against certain countries and pirating the medical stuffs while being sent to EU states”.

The U.S. announced “a reward of up to $10 million for information on the activities, networks, and associates of Muhammad Kawtharani”, whom it described as “a senior leader of Hizbollah’s forces in Iraq”. According to the State Department, Kawtharani had “taken over some of the political coordination of Iran-aligned paramilitary groups formerly organised by Qassem Soleimani after Soleimani’s death”.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo argued that “Hizbollah has fewer dollars today to engage in nefarious activity than they did when President Trump took office, and they will continue to have fewer dollars tomorrow until they fundamentally get the Iranian regime to change its model”. He further asserted that Iran used its resources “to take weaponry into Iraq, to underwrite Hizbollah and Lebanon and threaten Israel, all of the things that the Iranians have engaged in for so long, even in this [COVID-19] crisis the Iranian regime hasn’t ceased doing, that’s most unfortunate”. Pompeo added: “we hope that the people of Iran one day will get a regime with a change in outlook, a change which says, ‘no, we want to respect what the Iranian people truly want’”.

The U.S. State Department announced that “American citizen Amer Fakhoury, who has been in detention in Lebanon since September [2019], is returning to the U.S. where he will be reunited with his family and receive urgent medical treatment”. A senior U.S. diplomat subsequently emphasised that “Mr. Fakhoury was released by competent judicial authorities… We did not promise money, we did not promise to release prisoners, we did not promise not to designate any Lebanese officials, and we absolutely don’t talk to Hizbollah”. Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah contended that “the U.S. ha[d] been for six months exerting all forms of pressures and threats against Lebanon in order to release Fakhoury”.

The U.S. Treasury Department announced it had “designated as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) three Lebanon-based officials and twelve Lebanon-based entities linked to the Martyrs Foundation, part of Hizbollah's support network”. Secretary Mnuchin asserted that “Hizbollah profits from the sale of goods vital to the Lebanese peoples' health and economy, such as pharmaceuticals and gasoline... the Trump administration stands with the Lebanese people, and we are committed to exposing and holding accountable Hizbollah's terror-funding business schemes”. 

Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah assessed that “confrontation between the U.S. and the forces which reject to surrender to its will is inevitable” and stated that “all the regional peoples must be prepared for the key confrontation”. “The Israeli enemy”, he added, “has a major weakness which is the human losses; similarly, the Americans have their economic and financial situation as a point of fragility. Hizbollah hit the Israeli enemy at its weakness, so, likewise, we can concentrate on the U.S. economic interests”. Nasrallah further urged Iraqis “to respond to the U.S. crime of assassinating the two martyrs Hajj al-Muhandis and General Soleimani, preserve the Popular Mobilisation [Hashd al-Shaabi] in spite of the U.S. scheme to eradicate it, expel the U.S. forces of Iraq and strengthen the Iraqi role in the region”.

The Lebanese military announced that it had fired at an Israeli drone that entered Lebanon’s airspace, prompting the craft to withdraw.

Israeli Defence Minister Naftali Bennett assessed that “for years on end, we have fought against the Iranian tentacles in Lebanon, Syria and the Gaza Strip, but we have not focused enough on weakening Iran itself. Now we are changing the paradigm, we are now engaged in a continued effort to weaken the Iranian octopus through economic, diplomatic and intelligence measures, as well as with military means and various other approaches”. Bennett further addressed Iran and stated: “you have no business being in Syria, and so long as you continue to build terrorist bases there, we will continue to hurt you even further”.

Referring to Iran’s failed attempt to launch a satellite earlier in the day, Prime Minister Netanyahu said: “I’ll tell you what else they’re failing at: in transferring weapons to Syria and Lebanon, because we are operating there all the time, including at this time”.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo contended that “Hizbollah has now put down roots throughout the globe and in South America, and it’s great to see now multiple countries now having designated Hizbollah as a terrorist organization. It means we can work together to stamp out the security threat in the region”. “When we say that Iran is the leading destabilising force in the Middle East and throughout the world, it’s because of this terror activity that they have no spread as a cancer all across the globe”, Pompeo added.

Reacting to the formation of a new government in Lebanon, the U.S. State Department issued a statement indicating that “the test of Lebanon’s new government will be its actions and its responsiveness to the demands of the Lebanese people to implement reforms and to fight corruption...  We urge the government, army, and security services to guarantee the safety of citizens as they engage in peaceful demonstrations. Violence and provocative actions have no place in civil discourse”. Separately, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated that “we’re prepared to engage, provide support, but only to a government that’s committed to reform. That’s important for America”.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo praised “ the announcements of Colombia, Honduras and Guatemala to designate Iran-backed Hizbollah a terrorist organisation”. “It and other transnational terrorist groups remain active in the region”, Pompeo added. “The U.S. continues to rally international support to counter these threats”.

The Israeli military announced that it had “started deploying highly-sophisticated technical infrastructure along Israel’s border with Lebanon. These sensors will identify and prevent underground construction of attack tunnels into Israel by the Hizbollah terror organisation in Lebanon”.

The U.S. Special Representative for Iran, Brian Hook, congratulated “the UK for announcing today that it has designated the entire Hizbollah organisation as a terrorist group and frozen its assets. There is no distinction between Hizbollah’s political arm and its military arm”. He further said that “when I was negotiating with the E3 on trying to fix the deficiencies of the Iran nuclear deal... this was a regular topic of the need to be designating Hizbollah in its entirety”. The next day, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz likewise welcomed the designation and described it as “a great achievement for Israel in the fight against Iran and its proxies”.

Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah asserted that “the response on the assassination [of IRGC Qods Force Commander Qassem Soleimani] will be a long track that will end up in pulling the U.S. out of the region”. He further maintained that the “rest of the Axis of Resistance must begin operations. We are serious, and our goal is to force the U.S. out of our region. This is a long-term goal”.

Following the killing by the U.S. of Iran’s IRGC Qods Force commander, Qassem Soleimani, Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah asserted that “the minimal retaliation for the assassination of General Soleimani… is to expel foreign forces from Iraq and liberate it from U.S. troops”. “Iran can retaliate as it pleases, but this doesn’t exempt the Axis of Resistance from retaliation on its behalf”, Nasrallah added, stressing that “fair punishment means that U.S. forces, bases and warships must pay the price… The martyrs who blew themselves up and forced the U.S. troops out of the region in the past, are now many more”. “When the U.S. officers who came to the region vertically will return horizontally… Trump and his administration will realise that they lost the region and lost the elections. Those idiots don’t know what [they] did”.

The U.S. Embassy in Beirut issued a security alert noting that “due to heightened tensions in Iraq and the region, the U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens in Lebanon to maintain a high level of vigilance and practice good situational awareness".

The head of the IRGC's Qods force, Qasem Soleimani, was killed in a U.S. strike in Baghdad. The U.S. Department of Defense confirmed that "at the direction of the President, the U.S. military has taken decisive defensive action to protect U.S. personnel abroad by killing Qasem Soleimani”, adding that "Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region". Iran confirmed Soleimani’s death, and the IRGC said that four other Qods force members along with five Iraqis, notably including a senior Hashd official, were also killed in the operation. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei subsequently asserted that "enemies should bear in mind that the Islamic Republic of Iran will take tough revenge on criminals over the martyrdom of General Soleimani".

Discussing government formation in Lebanon, a senior U.S. diplomat indicated that “the U.S. government has worked before with the Lebanese governments that have had Hizbollah… We find a way to work with the Lebanese government that is productive within certain constraints”. He further maintained that “our principles on Lebanon, notwithstanding who may or may not be the next prime minister… is that this government must be capable of and committed to pursuing reform and fighting corruption. We are highly skeptical that a government led by Hizbollah would be capable of or committed to fighting corruption. This is an organisation that depends greatly on corruption for its survival and funding its criminal enterprise and terrorist activities”.

Syrian state media reported that “army air defences intercepted hostile missiles coming from the occupied lands [ie, Israel]… one of the hostile targets fell in Aqraba region in Damascus countryside”. The Lebanese defence minister subsequently asserted that “this blatant attack is condemned, and I call on the international community to intervene to prevent these repeated attacks on Lebanon’s sovereignty”. A senior advisor to Iran’s supreme leader warned that “Israeli airstrikes against Syria will not go unanswered, and Tel Aviv will regret having committed these crimes… Sooner or later, Israel will receive a response for its aerial attacks on and crimes in Syria”.

The U.S. State Department reported that the eighth session of “the Law Enforcement Coordination Group (LECG), which focuses on countering Hizbollah’s terrorist and illicit activities, convened at Europol’s headquarters in the Netherlands” concentrating on “Hizbollah’s financial, commercial, and procurement networks and schemes and their linkages to Hizbollah’s terrorist activity”.

Israel’s military chief of staff noted that “the IDF is fighting and operating daily and nightly on numerous fronts, which have grown in number recently, and the number of enemies is greater than the number of fronts. In Syria, for example, the [Iranian] Qods force and Hizbollah are operating, and in Lebanon, Iran's terrorist tentacles are solidifying their grip. He added that “any organisation, and especially the IDF, cannot be satisfied with maintaining and preserving the status quo. The IDF must change and innovate to beat its enemies to the punch and develop a significant advantage”.

Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah asserted that “the Americans assumed that the Lebanese protests are against Hizbollah and Iran, knowing that they did not propose anything like that. Their slogans were economic and righteous ones”. He added that “Hizbollah is a great threat. A threat on U.S. agendas and interests not on the Lebanese interests”. Nasrallah further maintained that “some think that if Iran was attacked it will refer to its allies to defend it, and let me correct this misconception and assure that Iran will defend itself by itself, it will not stay silent and will not accept to be defended by anyone… If its allies wanted to take action, that would be their own decision”. Prime Minister Netanyahu subsequently said: “I would like to make it clear that if Nasrallah dares to attack Israel, the organisation and the Lebanese state that enable aggression from its territory against us will pay a very heavy price”.

The U.S. Treasury Department designated “two prominent Lebanon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)-based money launderers and their affiliated companies, including those that have generated tens of millions of dollars for Hizbollah, its financiers and their malign activities”. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo indicated that “we will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to counter the threat Hizbollah poses”.

The U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo underlined that “responsibility for how the Government of Lebanon will be formed and shaped falls to the Lebanese people to demand Lebanese sovereignty, Lebanese prosperity, Lebanese freedom from influence, from outside entities. We have a designated terrorist organisation there, Hizbollah… I know that the people of Lebanon understand the risk that that presents to their freedom, their capacity to deliver for themselves. This is not an American proposition; it is the – a proposition of the Lebanese people”. “We do stand ready to do the things that the world can do to assist the Lebanese people of getting their economy righted, getting their government righted”, he added. On Iraq, Pompeo noted that “the Iraqi people want a sovereign, independent Iraq... we’re continuing our counterterrorism campaign in Iraq, and stand ready as the Iraqi government asks us to, to support the Iraqi people in ensuring that the influence from those who don’t want a sovereign, free, and independent Iraq don’t have their way inside of that country”.

Discussing protests in Lebanon, a senior U.S. diplomat asserted that “Iran’s support to the terrorist group Hizbollah has contributed to the group’s ability to exert domestic influence and put its own interests over those of the nation, leaving the Lebanese people on the losing end”. He further reiterated that “the U.S. also remains concerned about the role being played by Hizbollah, and its benefactor Iran. During these protests, Hizbollah, with some echoes from Russia, has tried to blame the U.S. for instigating the protests. These efforts have fallen short. Protestors in Lebanon know they are not the puppets of external influence”. “In stark contrast to Iran, which uses corruption to create openings to extend its influence, we are offering a positive vision”, he added.

Speaking alongside U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that “we have been fortunate that President Trump has led a consistent policy of pressure against Iran. Iran is increasing its aggression as we speak even today in the region. They’re trying to have staging grounds against us and the region from Iran itself, from Iraq, from Syria, from Lebanon, Gaza and Yemen, and we are actively engaged in countering that aggression”. Netanyahu further maintained that “Iran’s aggression is growing, but its empire is tottering. And I say let’s make it totter even further”. Secretary Pompeo, citing unrest in Iraq, Lebanon and Iran, stated that “some of these are people that are seeking freedom and a reasonable way to live, and they recognise the threat that is posed by the kleptocrats that are running the Islamic Republic of Iran”.

Discussing protests in Lebanon, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo maintained that “you have Christians, Sunni Muslims, you have people from all across Lebanon just demanding basic autonomy for the nation. They want Hizbollah and Iran out of their country, out of their – out of their system as a violent and repressive force inside of their country”.

Confirming the release of U.S. aid to the Lebanese Armed Force (LAF), a senior U.S. diplomat acknowledged that “there were some disagreements about the efficacy of U.S. aid to the LAF”, but added that the LAF “is a national institution. It defends Lebanon’s borders. It is an excellent partner to the U.S. in counterterrorism, in fighting Sunni jihadi Islamists. They have developed in recent years a high level of capability on that regard”. He added that “they have responded in recent weeks… in impressive fashion in terms of protecting demonstrators from violence, demonstrating, I think, the fact that they are a national institution”. The senior diplomat also noted that “there are detractors who would point to incidents, isolated incidents, of deconfliction with Hizbollah in certain areas. But this is an institution that nonetheless has great merit”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that “in Tehran, in Baghdad, in Beirut, people are taking to the streets. They are being slaughtered by the hundreds, yet they continue to protest. The tyrants of Tehran shoot them to no avail”. “In Baghdad”, he continued, “Iran's cronies have killed hundreds of Iraqis… In Beirut, Hizbollah thugs attack peaceful demonstrators”. “What is driving these people to risk their lives and stand up to their oppressors?”, Netanyahu asked. “The answer is simple. They are fed up. They're fed up with corruption. They're fed up with failing economies. They're fed off with the siphoning off of their treasure and their lives to Iran's wars of aggression in the region”.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo indicated that “President Trump’s strategic effort certainly includes sanctions as an element of our efforts to make the [Iranian] leadership change their ways. But it is only one component, we think that has been an effective component, we think they are having to make very difficult choices about whether to feed their people, to provide medicine for their people or if they want to underwrite the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza or Hizbollah in Lebanon”. “We hope they will begin to make the right decision, we hope the people in Iraq will force them to make the right decision”, he added. Pompeo went on to elaborate that “our campaign has also been political and diplomatic, to get countries around the world to recognise Iran as the largest state sponsor of terrorism... We are trying to unite the world alongside us, including the Europeans, who have taken a very different approach on the JCPOA, and President Trump is working to ensure that the Islamic Republic of Iran knows that they cannot engage in an activity like they have without there being a cost”. He additionally referred to “an increase in our deterrence capabilities by our activity in the Strait of Hormuz” as well as military deployments and weapons sales to U.S. allies in the Gulf and stated: “we hope that the combination of those things will restore deterrence to a level that is satisfactory, and the leadership will understand that there is a cost to their malign activity wherever it takes place”.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz stressed that “Hizbollah and its Iranian patron have taken Lebanon hostage. Their actions endanger stability and peace. Israel is determined to prevent Iranian efforts to arm Hizbollah in a manner that threatens the citizens of Israel”.

Discussing Lebanon, a senior U.S. diplomat underscored “the urgency for political leaders to quickly form a capable and responsive government backed by the Lebanese people that is dedicated to enacting reforms and ending endemic corruption”. He further emphasised that “no party should be perpetrating violence against other parties”, and assessed that “the Lebanese people have shown… that they’re fed up and they want a new kind of government, but this is up to them entirely”.

A senior Hizbollah official contended that “the first obstruction in the formation of the government is America, because it wants a government that resembles it and we want a government that resembles the Lebanese people”. “Let them leave us alone so we can reach an understanding among ourselves. The more they intervene the more they delay the solution”, he added.

Referring to protests in Lebanon, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated that “we remain committed to a brighter future for Lebanon and proudly stand with the Lebanese people in their peaceful demonstrations calling for reforms and an end to corruption”. “The U.S. stands ready to work with a new Lebanese government that is responsive to the needs of its citizens and has the capacity and political will to build a stable, prosperous, independent and secure Lebanon for all”, Pompeo added.

Israel’s foreign minister contended that “now is the time for the world, led by the U.S., to have an effective military threat against the Iranian regime, if it will continue its nuclear program”. He added that “we will strike at whomever threatens us… That is what we have always done, and what we will continue to do in the future”. Commenting on the U.S. maximum pressure policy, the foreign minister indicated that “we see the demonstrations in Iraq, Lebanon and also in Iran, and it is clear that the pressure is working… the public in the Arab states and in Iran itself are rising against Iran’s brutal oppression”. He further underscored that “we have no conflict with the Gulf states, and we have common interests in the field of security against the Iranian threat”.

Iranian President Rouhani remarked that "we have no doubt that if the Iraqi people take to the streets to solve problems, have more prosperity and warn their rulers, they [the U.S.] want to take advantage of it and transform this popular movement into killing and discord, or when the Lebanese people want to solve their problems by holding protests and gatherings, the country that wants to take advantage of it and turn the protests into a civil war is America”.

A U.S. senior official remarked that “we consider the funding of the LAF [Lebanese Armed Forces] to be a good investment. Of course we listen to our ally Israel and we will take their request [that military aid be contingent on curtailing Hizbollah’s missile capabilities] under consideration”. He further elaborated that “the U.S. has a lot of confidence in the Lebanese Armed Forces, and thinks they’re an excellent partner in fighting Sunni jihadist terrorists. And we think that it’s a valuable bilateral security arrangement. And we plan on continuing it”.

Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah argued that “when we say that we need a sovereign government, we mean that it rejects the U.S. orders and follows the national interests. The Americans are to be blamed for impeding the economic process in Lebanon, and the Lebanese officials are expected to hold their responsibilities”. Nasrallah also asserted that “claims that missiles will be sent to Hizbollah via the al-Bukamal border crossings are baseless. We have an overload of missiles in Lebanon, and we don’t know where to store them”.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated that “the struggle for freedom continues… we see it in the streets of Beirut. We see it in the streets of Baghdad, where people are rising up against the Islamic Republic of Iran. They want to be Lebanese, not Hizbollah. They want to be Iraqi, not part of an Iranian militia”.

Iran's military chief of staff reiterated that “the enemies have in recent days implemented plots in Lebanon and Iraq to misuse people's righteous demands and empower proxy governments but senior clerics and the Lebanese and Iraqi people confronted their plots”. “No one is entitled to interfere in these countries”, he added. 

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin contended that “Iran continues to spread terror throughout the region. It continues to build military bases and plan attacks from Syria, and other parts of the region, Lebanon and even Yemen”. “Our enemies”, he added, “must know the state of Israel will do everything needed to defend its citizens”. 

U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo argued that “the Iraqi and Lebanese people want their countries back. They are discovering that the Iranian regime’s top export is corruption, badly disguised as revolution”. Pompeo went on to assert that “Iraq and Lebanon deserve to set their own courses free from [Iranian Supreme Leader Ali] Khamenei’s meddling”. 

The U.S. State Department in its Country Reports on Terrorism 2018 evaluated that “Hizbollah remained Iran’s most powerful terrorist partner and the most capable terrorist organisation in Lebanon, controlling areas across the country”. It went on to assess that “Iran’s annual financial backing to Hizbollah, an estimated $700 million per year, accounts for the overwhelming majority of the group’s annual budget. Hizbollah’s presence in Lebanon and Syria continued to pose a threat to Israel”. “Israeli security officials and politicians”, the report noted, “expressed concerns that Iran was supplying Hizbollah with advanced weapons systems and technologies, as well as assisting the group in creating infrastructure that would permit it to indigenously produce rockets and missiles to threaten Israel from Lebanon and Syria”.

Hizbollah asserted that it had “confronted with the appropriate weapons an enemy drone in the skies of southern Lebanon and obliged it to leave the Lebanese airspace”. The Israeli military stated that “an anti-aircraft missile was launched over Lebanese territory towards an IDF UAV. The UAV was not hit”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that “the area around us is stormy and restive. Threats lurk in every corner – in Syria, in Lebanon, in the Gaza Strip, as well as in Iraq, Yemen and directly in Iran. Where not? Iranian and pro-Iranian forces are relentlessly arming themselves”. He went on to assert that “we are prepared for the threats and will not hesitate to strike harshly at anyone who tries to attack us. Iran’s threshold of daring in the region is rising and it grows even more in the absence of a response. However, Israel will not turn the other cheek. Whoever is bent on aggression – will meet with a vigorous response, and will pay a heavy price”.

The U.S., Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and four other members of the Terrorist Financing and Targeting Center (TFTC) announced sanctions designations against “25 targets affiliated with the Iranian regime’s terror-support networks in the region”. According to the Treasury Department, the designation was “focussed on entities supporting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iran’s regional proxy, Hizbollah”. Secretary Mnuchin commented that “this action demonstrates the unified position of the Gulf nations and the U.S. that Iran will not be allowed to escalate its malign activity in the region”.  

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei reacted to protests in Iraq and Lebanon by calling on “those who care in Iraq and Lebanon [to] remedy the insecurity and turmoil created in their countries by the U.S., the Zionist regime [Israel], some western countries and the money of some reactionary countries… the people have justifiable demands, but they should know their demands can only fulfilled within the legal structure and framework”. Khamenei added that “the enemies engaged in the same plots against Iran; but fortunately, people acted in a timely manner, and the sedition was nullified”.

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced his resignation amid nationwide protests in the country. In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo urged “Lebanon’s political leaders to urgently facilitate the formation of a new government that can build a stable, prosperous and secure Lebanon that is responsive to the needs of its citizens”, adding that the protests showed that “the Lebanese people want an efficient and effective government, economic reform and an end to endemic corruption”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu contended that “Iran wants to develop nuclear weapons. It’s transgressing on its agreement and commitment. Iran wants to develop precision guided missiles that can hit any target in Israel within five to ten meters. It’s doing that. Iran wants to use Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen as bases to attack Israel with statistical missiles and precision-guided missiles.” He went on to assert that “to ward off this danger… you have to be strong militarily. And to be strong militarily, we have to shift now money from the civilian areas to the military areas”.

Speaking alongside U.S. Treasury Secretary Mnuchin, Prime Minister Netanyahu argued that “Iran is seeking to develop now precision-guided munitions, missiles that can hit any target in the Middle East with a circumference of five to ten metres. They are developing this in Iran. They want to place them in Iraq and in Syria, and to convert Lebanon’s arsenal of 130,000 statistical rockets to precision-guided munitions. They seek also to develop that, and have already begun to put that in Yemen, with the goal of reaching Israel from there, too”. He further asserted that “Iran is the single greatest threat to stability and peace in the Middle East”, and urged Mnuchin “to put even more” sanctions on Iran.

Amid protests in Lebanon, Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah remarked that “everyone should take responsibility rather than being preoccupied with settling political scores while leaving the fate of the country unknown”. He further asserted that “all of us have to shoulder the responsibility of the current situation that we arrived at in Lebanon. Everyone should take part in finding a solution”.

Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah remarked that “Saudi Arabia is highly advised to stop the war on Yemen instead of seeking to purchase advanced air defence missile systems. All costly weapons purchased [from] the U.S. cannot protect you from [Huthi] drone attacks”. Nasrallah added that “a military aggression on Iran will never be to the benefit of Saudi Arabia and the UAE”.

Iran’s President Rouhani remarked that “it is strange that the enemies of the region have not yet understood the power of the regional nations’ resistance… instead of admitting that Lebanon’s Hizbollah has high capabilities and power both in scientific and military knowledge and bravery in the field, or that a part of brave young people of Iraq have liberated different cities across the country from the hands of terrorists, and instead of admitting to the growth and greatness of nations like Syria and Yemen, they are seeking to accuse others”.

President Rouhani stated that Israel “has increased the number of its acts of aggression on the Syrian soil in recent months, and its officials have claimed responsibility for the aggressions and have extended their attacks to Iraq and Lebanon”. He further asserted that “these attacks are a clear example of provocative and illegal hostile acts that can cause widespread tension and conflict in the region”.

A senior U.S. Treasury Department official argued that “Iran’s economy bankrolls its aggression.  That is why Treasury is actively targeting Iran’s key industries: to drive the realisation by Iran’s Supreme Leader that economic collapse is inevitable if Iran does not stop its sponsorship of terror and proliferation activities, and return to the negotiating table”. He added that “our efforts are having an impact, leaving Iran with scarce funds to spend on its perfidious pursuits… consequences for Iran continue to mount, and will do so for as long as the regime maintains on its current course”. The official went on to say that “Hizbollah is also feeling the squeeze”, asserting that that “just as we have done to Iran, we are demonstrating our resolve to dismantle Hizbollah’s financial infrastructure, root and stem”.