Hezbollah official claims ‘Hamas and resistance fighters' Gaza readiness will make the Israeli ground invasion their graveyard.’

A top Hezbollah official said Saturday that his militant group in Lebanon is “in the heart of the battle” and that Israel will pay a high price if it launches a ground offensive in Gaza.

Kassem said Hezbollah wants to weaken the Israeli enemy and show readiness by heating up the Lebanon-Israel border. Hezbollah will join the fight if Israel launches a ground offensive in Gaza, according to Hamas.

Two weeks after Hamas killed over 1,400 civilians and soldiers in southern Israel, border fire has increased along the Lebanon-Israel border. Retaliatory Israeli airstrikes on Gaza killed over 4,000 Palestinians.

Kassem said his Hamas-allied group was already affecting the conflict by heating up the Lebanon-Israel border and keeping three Israeli army divisions in the north instead of preparing to fight in Gaza.

“Do you think other resistance fighters in the region will not act if you crush Palestinian resistance?” Kassem spoke Saturday at a Hezbollah fighter's funeral. “Today is battle central. This fight is bringing us success.”

Hezbollah's Kassem said foreign dignitaries who visited Lebanon in the past two weeks asked officials to convince the group not to join the latest Hamas-Israel battle. He said Hezbollah told Lebanese officials, “We are part of the battle.”

Kassem said, “Our information are that the preparedness in Gaza by Hamas and resistance fighters will make (the) Israeli ground invasion their graveyard.”