Hezbollah seeks truce as Israel hits Lebanon targets

Militant group did not state ending Gaza war as precondition to halting combat

BEIRUT - The militant group Hezbollah on Oct 8 left the door open to a negotiated ceasefire after Israel pounded more targets and sent more troops to Lebanon, as the broadening war in the Middle East grinds on to a second year.

In a 30-minute televised speech, Hezbollah deputy leader Naim Qassem said he supported attempts to secure a truce and, for the first time, did not mention the end of war in the Gaza Strip as a precondition to halting combat on the Lebanon-Israel border.

He said Hezbollah was backing efforts by Lebanon's Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri to secure a halt to the war.

It was not clear whether this signaled any change in stance after a year in which the group has said it is fighting in support of Palestinians in Gaza caught in a war between Israel and Hamas, and that it would not stop without a ceasefire in Gaza.

Speaking from an undisclosed location, he said the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel was a war about who cries first and Hezbollah would not cry first. He added that the group's capabilities were intact despite "painful blows" from Israel.

Qassem said: "We are striking them. We are hurting them and we will prolong the time. Dozens of cities are within range of the resistance's missiles. We assure you that our capabilities are fine."