Transcript of Hezbollah is in a ‘state of disarray’: Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg

Eric and Mike, thank you. We're going to bring in Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg right now, a former National Security Advisor to Vice President Mike Pence. He's also a Fox News contributor. General Kellogg, you just heard Mike Tobin report of Hezbollah firing shots towards Israel, Jerusalem, in a specific area there. I want to get your take on that. And also, hours ago, the State Department called for all non-essential personnel and their families to leave Lebanon. So does this imply Is that by imminent escalation or is that last part simply protocol?

Yeah, Arthel, thanks for having me. Look, I think what the Israelis have done is reestablish a level of deterrence that we have not seen in the Middle East for a long, long time. Their strike against Nizrala, killing Nizrala. Look what they've done before with Hamas when they killed Hanei in Tehran. That was the leader. Then Yaya Sinmar, who's the current leader, is now wounded. They really can't find him. They took out the number two guy in Hezbol Shukr. They've taken 16 of the 18 commanders out. There's some Israeli poetry here. When they took out Nizrala, they took him out in an area called Dehia. Dehia is what the Israelis call for escalation. In other words, escalation that goes well beyond what you would expect as a norm. Nobody should have been surprised by this. And what they have done by taking out the leaders of both Hamas and Hezbollah, they've sent a real clear signal to Iran, who's really the backer of all this. And they've told the Supreme Leader, and they've told everybody in Iran, Look, you better be on guard because that means we can get to you as well. And I think they now know that.

So there's a level of deterrence that's been set. When you talk about evacuation, sure, probably, but I don't think it's going to be needed. I think Hezbollah now is currently in a state of disarray. I think the Israelis are on the front foot. I wouldn't be surprised if they push a little bit harder now and move Hezbollah forces north of the Latani River, which allows for 60 to 100,000 Israelis that have been displaced near that border to move back to their homeland. Actually, their homes just south of Lebanon. So I think they've done a remarkable job. Look, what the Israelis have done has been absolutely remarkable. How they've broken the intelligence system, how they've gotten into the comm systems, killing the major leaders. They've really established a level that we haven't seen. And by the way, the United States wasn't involved in this. Not at all. They didn't tell us about the strikes. They didn't tell the Defense Department about the strikes. This is Israeli finding multiple enemies on multiple fronts and doing a pretty good job with it.

Okay, so you pointed out how Israel has assassinated Hezbollah's leader. He was the leader for decades, Hassan Nassrali. He took over in 1992, plus a panel of other leadership. So this can go in multiple directions. So tell us what could happen next and what is likely to happen next.

Yeah, great question, Rafael. Look, this is a great opportunity for the United States to get involved in Middle East and head towards some type of peace. The options are now on the table. They can look at the Iran and say, Look, you've lost Hezbol as a military fighting force. You've lost Hamas as a military fighting force. The Israelis are clearly in charge. Maybe this is the time everyone needs to back to step a step and sit down and talk, and how do we get to Middle East peace? There's an opportunity here in the United States to jump in on it. Now, the United States hasn't done that, but this is going to be a very slim opportunity because the longer this goes, the widening of the war may be expected, and the Iranians are going to get involved. The Iranians aren't going to use any land forces because they've got that huge gap on land bridge. They can't get there, but they can do some major strikes. But if they do that, what the Israelis have told them, Arthel, very clearly, if you strike us, we are going to strike the crown jewel of Iran right now, and that's their nuclear capability, which they're trying to grow.

What I would like to see is the United States get involved much more aggressively. I don't think they will, but it's an opportunity, but I believe it'll be an opportunity to lost.

Well, how does the United States get more involved? I mean, they've been trying for months, a year now, to get a diplomatic into what's happening in Gaza. Okay, and now this is happening. And then there are reports that our President hasn't spoken to the Prime Minister of Israel in a while. That relationship seems to have broken down. What really is the diplomatic option here? It seems that also that Netanyahu, he pretty much dressed down the UN, and he seems to be doing what he wants to do. So how does this work? How do you bring all the parties to the table to come to a diplomatic solution?

Well, one, I don't blame Dan Yaad when he talked to the UN. The UN passed UN Security Council Resolution 1701 over 20 years ago, and that was supposed to solve the Lebanese problem. So he has discarded the UN, and I don't really blame him for that. The real key to this whole problem right now, I believe, is Saudi Arabia. And that is the reason I've got a concern is because the The relationship that President Biden, Vice President Harris has with Saudi Arabia is not really good. And he's got to go to the Emiratis as well and somehow bring them together. Very candidly, Arthel, I don't see anything happening until the election because I don't think anybody's going to respond to that. I think, as I said, this was an opportunity, but I believe it's going to be an opportunity lost. But the real key to this now is going to be the Saudis. Why? Because they hold the money. If we can get them to get involved in some type of peace process and calm the entire region down, I I think it'll work. But it's going to take a new administration to do it.

It's hard to say that, but I think everybody realistically sees that as well.

That brings me to this, Mike Chauvin's reporting of the long-range missiles, pardon fired by Hasbalah into Jerusalem. It's my understanding of early reporting. This is all fog of war situation here that the areas that they aimed, or the target, I should say, in Jerusalem is a heavy Arab area. So is there a direct correlation there with what you're saying that if the Saudis, if they're the key to some peace through diplomacy, is this Does Iran know that? They're aware of that. So maybe they're like, no, we're going to target them, too.

Well, I think what you're seeing, Arthel, is really it's actually... Hezbollah is really leadership right now because they took out the number one guy. In Nasrallah, they took out Shukr earlier. They took 16 of the 18 commanders out there. They've taken Iranian Quds Force commanders out as well in the recent strike in the Duhia district. So you look at them and you go, Okay, it's a random shooting. This is where the United States should reach out to Iran as well. Now, you have to go through a protective power because we don't have any relations with Iran. But basically, tell them they better back off because Israel is clearly on the front foot. They're going to keep pushing, and they'll push against Iran next. When you look at it, if you're keeping a scorecard, right now, they're 2-0, and they can go three and a real fast.

Well, I mean, listen, you've got Hezbollah without their leadership, so wondering if they're going to become this rogue, out of control, a bunch of terrorists running around or if Iran can actually maintain control over them?

Well, that's a great question because they also killed in the strike in Nizrala with the Kudz Force, Iranian Kudz Force leaders that were actually working inside Lebanon with Hezbollah. So this is one, they're going to have to reconstitute their force. They're going to have to go to the General Ghani, who now leaves the Kudz Force inside Iran. They're going to have to get to him and say, Okay, everybody probably should calm down a bit, because I think you've now got some random violence going on. But that's the reason why they think the Iranians need to step in because the Israelis hold them accountable. And they've got to do that. And I think they're making a mistake if they don't. And again, this is an opportunity. But I'm really afraid, Arthel, it's going to be a missed opportunity going forward.

I hope not. I hope you're wrong. Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, we want to contain this for sure. Thank you so much. I know we'll be speaking to you in the days and weeks to come as this is evolving there. In the meantime, thank you, General.

I'm Steve Ducey. I'm Brian Kilmeade. I'm Ainsley Earhart. Click here to subscribe to the Fox News YouTube page to catch our hottest interviews and most compelling analysis.