Hezbollah warns Israel of "heavy losses" if it escalates the conflict into Lebanon.

The warning comes as Israeli politicians push for action against Hezbollah, amid ongoing cross-border attacks between Israel and Lebanon.

Smoke billows near the Israel-Lebanon border in northern Israel following a Hezbollah rocket attack on September 12, 2024 [Avi Ohayon/Reuters].

Hezbollah's deputy leader, Naim Qassem, warned Israel that a full-scale war with Lebanon would result in "large losses on both sides" and displace hundreds of thousands more Israelis in the north. His remarks on Saturday followed reports from Israel’s Channel 13 that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was "on the verge" of launching a major military operation along the northern border with Lebanon.

Since Israel's war on Gaza began in October, Hezbollah and the Israeli military have been exchanging near-daily fire across the Israel-Lebanon border. Hezbollah has stated that its attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and will cease once the conflict there ends.

The fighting has killed dozens in Israel, hundreds in Lebanon, and displaced tens of thousands on both sides. Speaking in Beirut, Qassem emphasized that Hezbollah has no desire for war, stating that it "would not be useful," according to AFP.