MOSCOW, January 19 (Sputnik) — The recent Israeli airstrike in the Golan Heights that killed several Hezbollah members, as well as military operations that Israel is currently carrying out against the group, threaten to seriously destabilize the region, Hamas spokesperson Salah Bardaweel told Sputnik on Monday.
On Sunday, media reports cited sources in Hezbollah stating that an Israeli helicopter fired missiles on a group of militants near the Syrian town of Quneitra on the Golan Heights border. The attack claimed six lives.
In an interview with Sputnik, Bardaweel said that Hezbollah’ response to the killing of its fighters would be “fierce” and “destructive.”
Al-Bardaweel linked the attack on Hezbollah activists to the beginning of a parliamentary elections race in Israel. According to the Hamas spokesperson, the Israeli Sunday operation was aimed to “demonstrate the efficacy of Israeli special services.”
On Monday, Lebanon's As-Safir newspaper said Hezbollah vowed an "inevitable" and "painful" response to the Israeli air attacks.
Founded in 1985, Hezbollah is a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and military group, primarily aimed at resisting Israel’s occupation of Lebanon. Hezbollah is considered a terrorist organization by Israel and a number of Western states.
