In a fiery speech, Hezbollah leader in Lebanon Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah singled out nearby Cyprus, threatening to target the island if it opens its airports and bases to Israeli forces. “Cyprus will be part of this war too if it opens its airports and bases to Israeli forces,” the leader said.

Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides emphasized that the country is not involved in any military operations and is recognised for its humanitarian efforts, among them the Cyprus-Gaza maritime corridor.

The US State Department on Thursday reacted to threats against Cyprus from the Hezbollah’s leader in Lebanon, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, with department spokesperson Matthew Miller mentioning that “those comments are extremely unproductive.” “Hezbollah should cease making threats against anyone and our preference would be for Hezbollah to pursue a diplomatic resolution instead of making threats to other countries,” he said.

The European Union on Thursday came to Cyprus’ defense, saying that since the island “is a member state of the EU, this means the EU is Cyprus and Cyprus is the EU.”

“Any threat against one of our member states is a threat against the EU,” Peter Stano, an EU spokesperson, told reporters.

“At Europe’s intersection with the Middle East, Cyprus plays a strategic role in our common defence, security and humanitarian assistance – including with its maritime space,” said Commissioner Thierry Breton.

Neighboring Greece also expressed its “undivided solidarity” with Cyprus, saying on X that “the threat to use force is a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter.”

Cyprus has been keen to dispel any suggestions that it is implicated in the war, noting that the humanitarian corridor (to Gaza) is being recognized not only by the Arab world, but by the entire international community.

“The Republic of Cyprus is not part of the problem. The Republic of Cyprus is part of the solution. And this role of ours, as manifested, for example, through the humanitarian corridor (to Gaza) is being recognized not only by the Arab world, but by the entire international community. The Republic of Cyprus is not part of the problem,” said the President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides.

Earlier this month in his intervention at the Dead Sea Summit entitled «Call for Action: Urgent Humanitarian Response for Gaza», the president Nikos Christodoulides said that through the Cyprus maritime corridor, the Amalthea Plan, and via the US pier, additional volumes of much-needed humanitarian assistance have been delivered to Gaza.

“My country had a distinct responsibility and a moral duty to act in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. This is why we have established a maritime route for delivering humanitarian assistance to the ones in need in Gaza,” he said.

In his statements to journalists on the sidelines of the graduation ceremony of the University of Cyprus, when asked to comment if there is still a channel of communication, either with Hezbollah or with the government of Lebanon, the President of the Republic said: “Of course there is a channel of communication with both the Government of Lebanon and the Government in Iran. There is a channel of communication through the diplomatic channel.”

When asked if he was worried by Hassan Nasrallah’s statements, the President of the Republic said: “The statements are not pleasant, but they do not respond in any way to what is being attempted, to present an image that Cyprus is involved in military operations. Under no circumstances.”

Asked if he will communicate with foreign leaders about these positions of the head of Hezbollah, the President of the Republic replied: “Certainly, through the diplomatic channel. But, I repeat, what the Republic of Cyprus is doing is public, it is not in secret. The Republic of Cyprus is part of the solution and not part of the problem.”