Al-Qaeda’s No 2 leader issued a worldwide call on Thursday for Muslims to rise up in a holy war against Israel and join the fighting in Lebanon and Gaza until Islam reigns from ‘‘Spain to Iraq.’’

In the message broadcast by Al-Jazeera television, Ayman al-Zawahiri, second in command to Osama bin Laden, said that al-Qaeda now views ‘‘all the world as a battlefield open in front of us.’’

The Egyptian-born physician said that the fighting between Israel and Hizbollah and Palestinian militants would not be ended with ‘‘cease-fires or agreements. It is a jihad (holy war) for the sake of God and will last until (our) religion prevails...from Spain to Iraq.’’ Spain was controlled by Arab Muslims for more than seven centuries until they were driven from power in 1492.

Zawahiri said Arab regimes were accomplices to Israel. ‘‘My fellow Muslims, it is obvious that Arab and Islamic governments are not only impotent but also complicit...and you are alone on the battlefield. Rely on God and fight your enemies...make yourselves martyrs.’’

He also called for the ‘‘downtrodden’’ throughout the world, not just Muslims, to join the battle against ‘‘tyrannical Western civilization and its leader, America. Stand with Muslims in confronting this unprecedented oppression and tyranny. Stand with us as we stand with you against this injustice that was forbidden by God’s book (the Quran).’’

-WILLA THAYER