(Bloomberg) -- The leader of Lebanon-based Hezbollah said “no one” knew of Hamas's plans to attack Israel earlier this month in a rare speech.
The Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, was purely a Palestinian decision, Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah said during a ceremony commemorating members killed in clashes with Israel.
Speaking of the Oct. 7 Hamas assault on Israel — in which 1,400 people, mostly civilians, were killed — Nasrallah described “a new phase of fighting against this enemy.”
“All these sacrifices and the future ones in Gaza and West Bank and all the fronts are worth it,” he said, adding the attack showed Israel's vulnerability.
A large crowd gathered in Lebanon to watch his video address on Friday. Gold and oil prices fell as markets appeared to be pricing out the possibility of the Israel-Hamas war spilling over into the wider region.
As the Israeli army steps up its ground operation in Gaza to combat Hamas, it has growing concerns about a new front opening to the north with Hezbollah. That group, which like Hamas is designated a terrorist organization by the US, is already exchanging fire with Israel on a near-daily basis. The cross-border assaults with Israel has killed more than 50 Hezbollah fighters since Oct. 7, with five members announced dead Thursday following intense clashes.
Read More: Why Hezbollah Is a Wild Card in New Mideast Fighting: QuickTake
Hezbollah, one of the Middle East's most powerful militias, has said it has 100,000 fighters and an arsenal of missiles able to reach all of Israel. Its battle-hardened fighters have in recent years seen extensive combat in Syria, where they fought alongside President Bashar al-Assad against rebel forces.
Hezbollah's last war with Israel in 2006 left more than 1,000 dead in Lebanon, and more than 100 in Israel, as well as triggering mass displacement and infrastructure damage. The group claimed victory back then and for a time enjoyed popular support in the Arab world.
Iran has warned that new fronts would open up against the US if it continues its unequivocal support for Israel.
--With assistance from Selcan Hacaoglu.
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