Nasrallah’s message to Yemen’s Houthi leaders: ‘I wish I could fight with you’

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has announced his desire to fight alongside the Houthi militia in Yemen during a televised speech on Friday, in which he delivered several other announcements.

“I am ashamed that I am not with you. I wish I could be one of your fighters and fight under the guidance of your brave and dear leaders,” Nasrallah said.

Nasrallah’s comment on wanting to be a Houthi fighter sparked an uproar of criticism from social media commentators and activists. Many said Nasrallah should “come out of his secret hideout first, and then talk.”

Disregarding all international efforts to keep Syrian refugees safely in Lebanon and away from the dire conditions in Syria, Nasrallah also announced that he formed a “committee” to follow up on the affairs of Syrian refugees so they could be sent back to Syria.

The UN previously reported that the conditions in Syria were still too dangerous to allow refugees to move back from Lebanon.

Nasrallah, in an attempt to appease statements that he would forcibly send Syrians back to their country, added that his militias would not force anyone to leave Lebanon.

He said he appointed a team to talk to Syrian refugees and send back only those who wish to do so. One of his MPs, Nawar al-Saheli, was also appointed to speak to refugees.

According to the Lebanese National Media Agency, Hezbollah’s Mohamed Raad said in 2016 that Syrian refugees in Lebanese camps were a “ticking time bomb”, and that “Tafkiri terrorists were infiltrating the camps.”