Beirut, 19 June 2024 (dpa/MIA) - The head of the pro-Iranian Hezbollah movement in Lebanon, Hassan Nasrallah, vowed Wednesday that nowhere in Israel will be safe if an all-out war erupts between the arch-enemies.

"Israel must wait for us on land, in the sea and in the air," he said. 

Hezbollah has a "bank of goals" to target in Israel, he said.

Nevertheless, he stressed that his Shiite group is not seeking to engage in a full-fledged war with Israel.

The Hezbollah chief spoke via video link to a commemoration ceremony in Beirut for a senior commander who was killed by Israel last week in south Lebanon.

Nasrallah also for the first time warned nearby Cyprus against cooperating with the Israeli military.

If the Cypriot government made its airports and military bases available to the Israeli military, the island state would “become part of the war,” said Nasrallah.

Israeli media have reported that Israeli army special forces had travelled to Cyprus, a Mediterranean island, to train to fight Hezbollah.

The situation between Lebanon and Israel has deteriorated. There are increasing concerns that the daily cross-border clashes between the Israeli military and the Hezbollah militia is on the verge of expanding.

Israel's military approved plans for an offensive in Lebanon on Tuesday, raising concerns about an escalation.

The military said that senior commanders had approved “operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon” during a situation assessment. The readiness of the troops will be further increased. 

Earlier on Wednesday, Hezbollah said at least three of its members were killed in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon.

Lebanese security sources said the Israeli drone attack struck an area in the southern village of Yaroun, not far from the border with Israel.

Photo: MIA archive