On Wednesday night, Lebanon’s resistance movement Hezbollah issued a statement in condemnation of the comments made by Israeli Minister for Military Affairs Avigdor Lieberman, deeming the remarks in line with the Israeli regime’s continued aggression against Lebanon, its sovereignty and legitimate rights.
Avigdor Lieberman, during a security conference in the occupied territories on Wednesday, warned giant international energy companies not to engage in exploration activities with Lebanon, saying doing so would be “a grave mistake”. He also described as “very provocative” Lebanon's offshore oil and gas exploration tender, saying the Block 9 is “by all accounts ours.”
Hezbollah, in response, vowed to do its best to defend Lebanon’s “oil and gas rights” against any Israeli threat, saying the group would “decisively confront any assault on our oil and gas rights.”
Lieberman’s comments also drew sharp condemnation from Lebanese officials, including Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who described Lieberman’s “blatant provocation” as “invalid in form and substance,” voicing Lebanese government’s resolve to follow this up “with the competent international parties to assert its legitimate right to act in its territorial waters.”
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