Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shia group, has announced its plans to enter the Syrian civil war raging in the neighboring country. They say they will launch on attack on Sunni militants fighting for the al-Nusra Front. BBC News reports that the group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, says the target will be the “mountainous border area of Qalamoun”, but did not give a specific time of attack. Qalamoun straddles the Syria-Lebanon border and has many “holes” where there is very little patrol. Nasrallah also says the Syrian rebel forces have frequently targeted Hazbollah parties over the border and poses a threat that he is unwilling to live with. Hundreds of Hezbollah fighters have already been sent to join the Syrian civil war.

Nasrallah gave a televised statement on Tuesday where he called out the al-Queda affiliated al-Nusra Front militants and said they pose an unacceptable threat to Lebanon’s security and elicited “radical treatment.” Nasrallah said, “The (Lebanese) state is not able to address this issue… so we will proceed with the necessary treatment and assume the responsibility and consequences.” In regard to the operation itself, Nasrallah spoke vaguely and did not offer a start date to the attack: “Even when we start, we will not issue a statement. When we begin, the operation will speak for itself.”

Most of the Qalamoun area was re-won by the Syrian Government last year, backed by Hezbollah fighters. The area was taken from the al-Nusra Front in conjunction with Islamic State forces. Lebanese officials say several hostages, including soldiers and police officers, are still being held after being seized along the border last year.