Former head of U.S. Central Command, retired Gen. Frank McKenzie, suggested that within "hours" of him speaking with CBS's "Face the Nation," the Islamic militant group Hezbollah could enter the conflict in Israel.
"I think we are hours, maybe days, not weeks, away from Lebanese Hezbollah entering this fight, and that's always been the big variable," McKenzie said. "They are the largest non-state military entity in the world, you know, a parasite on Lebanon, but they have tens and tens of thousands of highly-accurate rockets and missiles, and they can challenge Israel in a way that Iran, and the Houthis, for that matter, are unable to do so, because of their geographic proximity, because of the number of weapons that they have. And that's very concerning.
"I've thought all along, the most dangerous turn in events would be if they chose to enter at scale. Now, Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Lebanese Hezbollah, has got to make a very strategic decision on this because he will be open to a withering Israeli counterattack should he choose to enter at great scale. And what would great scale be? Don't know. I would say if he chooses to attack Israeli population centers, I would say if he – significant, significant casualties are caused by a Hezbollah attack, that will bring the IDF in, back in, with great force, and he recognizes that."
"And the last point I just make is: Hassan Nasrallah and Lebanese Hezbollah are perhaps weaker in Lebanon now than they've been in many years, because of the – the destruction of the economy, the fact that the country's in governmental gridlock, lots of problems in Lebanon that he has to think about before he chooses to fight Israel, toe to toe."
Nick Koutsobinas ✉
Nick Koutsobinas, a Newsmax writer, has years of news reporting experience. A graduate from Missouri State University’s philosophy program, he focuses on exposing corruption and censorship.
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