Hezbollah leader threatens escalation in fighting with Israel

The head of Hezbollah in Lebanon has declared that his influential armed group is currently involved in battles with Israel across the border, and has warned of even more serious escalation in the future.

During a highly anticipated address in the area, Hassan Nasrallah hinted that Hezbollah may have become involved in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. He did not explicitly state their full involvement, but gave a warning that the fighting near the Lebanon-Israel border could surpass the current size and intensity.

Hezbollah's ally, Iran, has been cautioned by the United States, Israel's most influential supporter, not to get involved in the conflict. Additionally, the US has deployed naval vessels to the Mediterranean. Nasrallah, on the other hand, said that the move "will not intimidate us."

A representative from the national security council in the United States stated that it is well known by themselves and their allies that Hezbollah or any other actors, whether they are government affiliated or not, should not attempt to exploit the current conflict.

Addressing a large gathering at Ashura Square in Beirut, Nasrallah, the leader of the Lebanese Shia militant group, lauded the recent Hamas assault in southern Israel, which led to the deaths of over 1,400 individuals. He commended the Palestinians for devising and executing the attack, thereby insinuating that his militia played no role in it.

On October 8th, Nasrallah acknowledged that Hezbollah had become part of the ongoing conflict. He expressed gratitude towards the Yemeni and Iraqi factions belonging to the "Axis of Resistance," a group including Iraqi militias composed of Shia Muslims who have directed attacks towards American troops in Iraq and Syria, as well as the Houthis from Yemen, who have launched drone strikes against Israel.

Nasrallah reported that the amount of operations had been escalating continuously, while Israel's leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, cautioned Hezbollah not to try Israel's patience or they would experience a harsh punishment.

Nasrallah stated that the objective of Hezbollah was to prevent Israeli soldiers from being sent to Gaza and to keep them occupied. He cautioned that there is a high chance of increasing tensions in the north.

The people in the region were waiting for Nasrallah's speech to see if the Israel-Hamas conflict could turn into a bigger war that involves other countries. There had been fighting every day between Israel and groups like Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, and this added to the tension.

Ever since the war started, Hezbollah, which is on Hamas' side, has made strategic moves to occupy the Israeli military by their boundary with Lebanon. Nevertheless, they have been careful not to trigger a full-fledged war.

As of Friday, the Israeli armed forces reported that seven of their soldiers and one civilian had lost their lives in the northern border area. On the other side of the border in Lebanon, more than 50 members of Hezbollah and an additional 10 militants who have linked themselves with that faction, plus 10 innocent civilians (one of whom was a reporter for Reuters news agency), have also died because of the conflict.

Israel sees the Lebanese Shia militant group supported by Iran as the most pressing and significant danger. They believe that Hezbollah has approximately 150,000 rockets and missiles directed towards Israel, along with drones and missiles intended for use on land and sea.

If Hezbollah were to engage in a significant conflict, it would come at a high price. This is because they have previously engaged in a 34-day war against Israel in 2006, which ultimately ended in a stalemate. However, during this conflict, Israel carried out devastating airstrikes that leveled large areas of southern Lebanon, the eastern Bekaa Valley, and the southern suburbs of Beirut.

If a new war were to occur, a vast number of people who support Hezbollah would be forced to leave their homes, and the country would experience significant destruction. This would be especially devastating as Lebanon is already enduring a long-lasting economic crisis.

There was a rise in anxiety among the border communities in northern Israel before Nasrallah delivered his speech. These areas have been experiencing frequent evacuations lately.

At Kfar Giladi, a kibbutz that's situated just 2km away from the Lebanese border, there's a notice posted on the bomb shelter entry point which reads "Radwan not allowed". This is specifically aimed at Hezbollah's elite commando team. The security personnel guarding the entrance, dressed in military gear, are responsible for protecting the kibbutz.

"I'm not interested in hearing anything from him. He's a terrorist. I highly doubt he has any interest in promoting peace," commented Nimrod Sharabi, a mechanical engineer who was born and raised in the kibbutz, prior to Nasrallah's address.

Sharabi's spouse and relatives have left for the Netherlands, unsure about when it will be safe to come back due to the border situation. Sharabi expressed his concerns about the current state of their government, describing it as ineffectual and fragile. He added that the ongoing conflicts could continue for an unspecified period of time, possibly months.

Tom Cohen, who is 28 years old and resides in Australia, returned to the kibbutz where he spent his childhood to protect it. He witnessed a missile soar over the area that ended up striking Kiryat Shmona on Thursday evening. The fiery engine from the missile was also visible to him. The evacuation of the entire kibbutz struck him as odd. During the war in 2006, people remained despite the danger. However, following the events of October 7th in the south, everyone perceives themselves as a potential target.

His relatives had moved to Tiberias. He stated, "The occurrences in the southern region created a great deal of anxiety." A sizable portion of the kibbutz was restricted due to its vulnerability to attacks from Lebanon. He remarked, "Everyone has been anticipating the speech, but it's ridiculous. We are aware of his [Nasrallah's] beliefs. Hezbollah is a group of terrorists. Our oversight was giving Hezbollah an opportunity to amass power."

The city of Kiryat Shmona, which had very few people earlier this week, now has even less due to another rocket attack on a building. Military vehicles like an armored personnel carrier and Humvees are doing patrols, and soldiers are moving around the trees in the nearby forest.