Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said Hezbollah has turned much of Lebanon into a “militarized terrorist base” and called on the Biden-Harris administration to “reverse the policy” of “ambiguity” on Israel and Hezbollah, as well as to “clearly cooperate with our Israeli allies” in the U.S. response to Iranian proxy attacks..
In a statement released on Monday, Cruz, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, be criticized Hezbollah's presence and terrorist activities in Lebanon.
Cruz described Hezbollah as a terrorist organization with deep control over Lebanese territory and infrastructure, and accused the group of using civilian areas as a shield for its stockpile of rockets and missiles.
Hezbollah has taken extensive control over Lebanon's territory, governance and infrastructure, turning vast swaths of the country into military terrorist bases. They have stockpiled hundreds of thousands of rockets, missiles, precision weapons and other munitions and stationed them behind a vast network of human shields, including countless ready-to-fire projectiles in civilian homes and buildings across the country.
Cruz highlighted the risks posed by Hezbollah's strategy, accusing the group of using human shields to stoke international condemnation of Israel and criticizing the Biden-Harris administration's role in the resulting pressure.
He said:
Hezbollah believes that the civilian casualties created by the use of human shields will trigger international pressure and demonization of Israel’s allies, which has happened all too often, including with the inexcusable complicity and participation of officials in the Biden-Harris Administration.
He also noted that Iran was “using terrorist organizations across the Middle East, including Hamas and Hezbollah, to wage war against Israel,” and stressed the need for the United States to take a firm stance in supporting Israel against Iranian-backed attacks.
“The Israeli government has the right and the obligation to respond and protect the Israeli people,” he argued.
Cruz called for an end to the neutral stance, saying it was “imperative” that the Biden-Harris administration “reverse policy” of “vagueness” on positions on Israel and Hezbollah and that the US “unequivocally supports Israel's allies in responding to the aggression that Iran is waging through Hezbollah.”
Israel has been engaged in clashes with Hezbollah since it launched attacks after Hamas attacked Israeli civilians on Oct. 7, leaving some 1,200 people dead and more than 240 taken hostage.
Hezbollah's involvement has increased tensions along the Israeli-Lebanese border and raised fears of a broader conflict. The Iran-backed group is a major force in Lebanon and has long been seen as a serious threat to Israel's security because of its military power and history of violence against the West and Israel.
Hezbollah has actively sought to expand its influence beyond the Middle East and has been involved in terrorist activities targeting the United States, France, Israel and other countries, and is designated a terrorist organization by more than a dozen countries and international organizations, including major Western countries, European Union member states, and most Arab League member states.
Former President Donald Trump condemned Hezbollah. He stated, “No terrorist group other than Al Qaeda has shed so much American blood.”
On Sunday, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) Criticized He accused the Biden-Harris administration of putting excessive pressure on Israel, which he said likely “prolonged the fighting.”
Cotton said many Americans may not realize how much Hezbollah has attacked Israel from Lebanon, and he argued that Israel has the right to “defend itself and attack” against these groups.
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter. Joshua Klein.
