Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah vowed to turn Israel's actions into a "hell" Thursday after the group suffered a "severe blow" when communication devices were detonated earlier this week in Lebanon.
Nasrallah made the remarks during a televised speech to address the explosions that killed 37 people and injured thousands.
"We admit we have received a severe blow which is natural as we acknowledge Israel's technological superiority, backed by the US, NATO, and the West," said Nasrallah. "The Israeli enemy sought to kill 5,000 people within just two minutes, showing no regard for anything."
"The number of pagers carried by Hezbollah members is 4,000, which implies that Israel intentionally sought to kill 4,000 people," he said.
The explosions "will be met with a just retribution, severe reckoning, timing, place, nature of which we will determine," said Nasrallah.
He warned Israel that if it establishes a security belt on Lebanese territory, "it will turn into a trap and a hell."
Nasrallah added that multiple investigative commissions were formed to examine the circumstances of the explosions and they have reached a nearly definitive conclusion, but the Lebanese resistance group is awaiting confirmation.
He noted that the severity of eye injuries from the explosions "has placed significant pressure on hospitals in Lebanon."
Furthermore, Nasrallah pointed out that many of the explosions occurred in hospitals, markets, public roads and homes -- areas predominantly inhabited by civilians, including children and women.
