Updated

The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah is urging fellow politicians not to let the U.S. administration divide their ranks while it mediates a dispute with Israel over offshore gas drilling rights.

Hassan Nasrallah said in televised address Friday that the U.S. administration, which has been mediating the dispute, is not an honest broker. Instead, Nasrallah called the Americans "the devils," adding that U.S. officials have defended Israel's rights and issued threats to Lebanese politicians.

Details of the U.S. mediation were not immediately available. U.S. State Secretary Rex Tillerson was in Lebanon Thursday, and the issue topped the agenda.

The dispute dates back years but recently resurfaced when Lebanon invited companies to bid for drilling in areas Israel has claimed.