Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah warned on Thursday that the Iranian-backed group will stop Israel from extracting natural gas from the Karish field off the coast of northern Israel, adding that the issue could spread outside Lebanon.
Nasrallah pointed to the recent arrival of the Energean Power floating gas rig off the coast of Haifa, warning that the ship had arrived to extract natural gas, but admitting that the rig was not located in disputed waters, but instead nearby.
"What happened in the past few days is an attack on Lebanon and put Lebanon in a difficult situation, even if we are talking about a disputed area from the point of view of officials."
Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah
The Hezbollah leader stressed that the issue of the Karish field needed to become a "major Lebanese issue."
"We have before us a huge wealth estimated at hundreds of millions and it belongs to the Lebanese people, and this wealth is the only hope to stop the collapse and address the problems we suffer," said Nasrallah, claiming that the US and Israel were trying to strip large areas away from Lebanon and prevent extraction companies from working with Lebanon.
"The able resistance cannot stand idly by in front of the looting of Lebanon's wealth, and it will not stand idly by," stressed Nasrallah, warning that "all options are open" and that Hezbollah "does not fear" war.
The Hezbollah leader demanded that Israel stop any work on extracting gas from the Karish field until negotiations with Lebanon are completed. Nasrallah also threatened the Energean company, saying it is a "partner in the attack on Lebanon," and waring that this has "consequences."
Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and Energy Minister Karin Elharrar warned on Wednesday that Israel is prepared to defend the Karish gas reservoir and rig, which is entirely in Israeli territory.
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