US entirely responsible for Gaza war, Israel just an execution tool: Hezbollah chief

BEIRUT (AFP) - Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah warned Friday that war between Israel and Hamas could turn into a regional conflict if attacks on Gaza continue, placing responsibility firmly on the United States.

In his first speech since war broke out almost four weeks ago between Hamas militants and Israel, the head of the powerful Iran-backed movement warned that "all options" were open for an expansion of the conflict to Lebanon.

"America is entirely responsible for the ongoing war on Gaza and its people, and Israel is simply a tool of execution," Nasrallah said in a televised broadcast, calling the conflict "decisive". "Whoever wants to prevent a regional war -- and this is addressed to the Americans -- must quickly stop the aggression on Gaza," he said.

Thousands of supporters gathered to hear the fiery speech at an event in Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, held in memory of the group's fighters killed in Israeli bombardments. Others gathered elsewhere in Lebanon and the region, including Tehran and Baghdad.

But a defiant Nasrallah told the United States that "your fleet in the Mediterranean does not scare us... we are ready to face the fleet you threaten us with."

'Unimaginable price'

"You Americans know well that if there is war in the region, your fleet will be of no use, nor will air combat help. Your interests and your soldiers and your fleet will be the first to pay the price," he added.

In Washington, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Hezbollah "should not try to take advantage of the ongoing conflict". "This has the potential of becoming a bloodier war between Israel and Lebanon than 2006," she said. "The United States does not want to see this conflict expand into Lebanon."

'Foolishness'

Nasrallah also warned Israel against attacking Lebanon, saying that "all options are open on our Lebanese front". The current situation at the Lebanon-Israel border is linked "to the course and development of events in Gaza", Nasrallah said, claiming Hezbollah's actions had tied up "a large section" of the Israeli army that might otherwise have been fighting in the Palestinian territory.

He warned that the chance of open conflict was "realistic". "We say to the enemy that might think of attacking Lebanon or carrying out a pre-emptive operation, that this would be the greatest foolishness of its existence," he said.