Hezbollah warns Israel against Lebanon border flare-up

Naim Qassem, number two in the Iran-backed Lebanese group, was speaking after Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel was determined to restore security to its northern front. Gallant told Israeli troops last week that "we are preparing for anything that may happen in the north". In a speech in Beirut, Qassem said: "We have no intention of going to war, as we consider that this would not be useful. "However, if Israel does unleash a war, we will face up to it -- and there will be large losses on both sides," he said.