Zawahiri Says the World Is Now an Open Battlefield

Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden’s top deputy, promised that al Qaeda will respond to the violence in Lebanon and Gaza. "All the earth is an open field for us," Zawahiri said in a video that aired earlier today on Al Jazeera. "For as they attack us everywhere, so will we."

Zawahiri, who usually appears in front of a plain background holding a weapon, this time appeared to be in what looked like a newsroom set, with images of martyrs over his shoulder. The production team at as-Sahab, which releases these al Qaeda propaganda videos, continues to use slick graphics and other advanced production techniques to relay the messages of Zawahiri, bin Laden and others. Though he commented on the recent fighting, Zawahiri emphasized that the battle must continue in Iraq and Afghanistan until the U.S. goes home.

"These on-going events shows the significance of the two jihad fronts in Afghanistan and Iraq," he said. "All Muslims have a duty of supporting these fronts until the forces of America leave them, paralyzed and incapacitated and dragged back home after they have paid as they will, the price of their aggression on Muslims as well as support for Israel."

Another audio/video message from Osama bin Laden is also still expected on the events in Gaza and Lebanon, however, it has not yet been formally announced by as-Sahab, according to IntelCenter, a private contractor that provides support work to the intelligence community.