Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem. Photo: Screenshot / Fars.

Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem threatened retaliation against Israel for recent alleged actions, Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported on Thursday.

Fars said Sheikh Qassem was referring to reports of recent jet and drone reconnaissance flights over Lebanon.

“We will pursue the issue of Israel’s continued aggressions, including reconnaissance flights and land aggressions, through international law and the UN Security Council, laws of big countries and all those who claim that Israel is neither an occupier nor an aggressor,” Sheikh Qassem told Fars.

“We will stand up to Israel’s aggressions with preparedness,” he said. “God willingly, we will maintain our preparedness and Israel will be driven back.”

Last week, Saudi Arabian daily Al Watan reported that Hezbollah has established its own military airport in Baalbek, near the Syrian border. Israeli daily Ma’ariv said the military complex, which now houses 14 Iranian drones, also contains several underground tunnels that Hezbollah operatives recently dug under Iran’s supervision.

On Thursday, Fars said that Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil last week noted “the importance of Lebanon’s right to liberate the occupied lands and resist against any Israeli assault.” He also warned that Lebanon “is in danger of becoming a conduit for jihadists worldwide as it faces the worst refugee crisis in modern times.”