Hassan Nasrallah said security in the Red Sea and countries in the region depends on ending the Israeli war on Gaza.
The head of the Lebanese group Hezbollah said US actions in the Red Sea would harm the security of all ships as the region had now become a conflict zone.
“The United States should understand that the security of the Red Sea, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen depends on one thing: ending the war in Gaza,” Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised speech on Sunday .
“Rather than fixing the symptoms, they should treat the cause,” he added.
Nasrallah was referring to a joint US and British air force operation that launched a series of strikes against Yemen on Friday and Saturday, targeting Houthi rebels who say they attacked ships linked to Israel during the war on Gaza.
The strikes, which the United States said targeted Houthi facilities, further fueled fears of a regional spillover of the war in Gaza. The Houthis also promised to retaliate.
Houthi attacks on international shipping have disrupted global trade and increased costs, prompting Western countries to intervene.
The rebels say their actions are a response to Israel’s war and have pledged to continue as long as the bombing of the Gaza Strip continues.
Both the Houthis and Hezbollah are supported by Iran and are also part of the so-called “axis of resistance” to Israel.
“Combat theater”
On Sunday, Nasrallah said the United States was wrong if it thought the Houthis would stop confronting Israel in the Red Sea.
“The most dangerous thing is that what the Americans have done in the Red Sea will harm the security of all maritime navigation, even ships that do not go to Palestine, even ships that are not Israeli, even ships that have nothing to do with Palestine. This is a question,” he said, “because the sea has become a theater of combat, missiles, drones and warships. »
The Lebanon-based group has so far refrained from entering the war. It nevertheless maintained strong pressure on Israel by carrying out almost daily attacks along its southern border with its neighbor.
Although the exchange of fire on both sides has remained largely confined to the border area, the risk of a major escalation remains.
The first week of January saw tensions reach new heights over such a risk after a senior Hamas leader was killed in a Beirut suburb in a targeted attack widely attributed to Israel. This was followed by the assassination of at least three other Hezbollah members, including a senior commander.
Adding to the military pressure, continued exchanges of fire have forced tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border to evacuate. More than 96,000 Israelis now live in temporary housing, a condition Hezbollah says works in its favor.
“Our front is inflicting losses on the enemy by putting pressure on the displaced whose voices have become louder,” Nasrallah said.
“This is a key strategy for Hezbollah,” Tel Aviv Tribune’s Imran Khan said from Ebel el-Saqi in southern Lebanon. “All these Israelis who had to leave their homes in the north and cannot return. (Nasrallah) wants them to rise up and start putting pressure on the Israeli government. »