Naim Qassem — Hezbollah’s deputy leader, speaking on Lebanese television — praised leader Hassan Nasrallah for putting “fear in the hearts of the Zionists and fighting the criminals of the occupation”.

He said that Israel and Western nations were trying to instill fear into the armed group after the assassination of leader Hassan Nasrallah, but remained unsuccessful.

Qassem said the people of Lebanon and the wider region support the “axis of resistance” against Israel.

He also praised the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel a year ago, saying it was “the first step for change” towards freedom for the Palestinians, and he denounced Israel for “killing women, killing children, killing elderly” in Gaza in response.