Hezbollah MP: Israel's control of Ali al-Taher not a disaster

MP Ihab Hamadeh of Hezbollah noted Friday that "there is still ambiguity surrounding the reality of Israel's control over the Ali al-Taher hill," in the first comment from the Iran-backed group regarding Israel’s overnight announcement.

"How can the Israeli enemy claim to control the Ali al-Taher hill when it continues to bombard and raid it relentlessly, knowing that it controls it from the air or by surrounding it geographically from all sides, without its forces being able to enter the facility or gain control of it on the ground," Hamadeh told Russia’s Sputnik radio.

"Israel has not released any images confirming its capture of Ali al-Taher or the logistical weapons it mentioned, while also claiming to have killed large numbers of fighters and caused others to flee,” the MP added.

He argued that "Israel is trying to portray Ali al-Taher Hill as Hezbollah's last stronghold so that (Israeli PM Benjamin) Netanyahu can exploit it as an election card.”

“However, like any other location or hill in southern Lebanon, it has its own sacred, existential value. Israeli control of it is not a disaster in military terms, nor is it the end of the road, especially since the resistance put up an epic stand in Ali al-Taher," Hamadeh added.