Hezbollah Leader To Address Escalating Gaza Conflict

Lebanon's Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, will break his weeks-long silence on Friday, addressing the intensifying Gaza conflict, a speech with potential implications for the broader region.

The outbreak of hostilities between Hamas and Israel has raised concerns, particularly along Lebanon's southern border, where Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas, has engaged in a series of tit-for-tat exchanges with Israel. Tensions escalated on Thursday when Hezbollah simultaneously attacked 19 Israeli positions, prompting a "broad assault" in response from Israel. Rockets also targeted the Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona, a situation attributed to the Lebanese arm of Hamas's military wing. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian issued a warning, likening the region to a "powder keg" and emphasizing that "anything is possible" if Israel's attacks on Gaza continue. In response to the escalating situation, U.S. President Joe Biden has deployed two aircraft carrier groups to the eastern Mediterranean and cautioned Hezbollah and other parties to refrain from involvement in the ongoing conflict. The U.S. National Security Council underscored the significant national security interests at stake in the region. While there are no clear indications that Hezbollah is preparing for full-scale engagement, Nasrallah's upcoming speech, scheduled for 3:00 pm (1300 GMT) on Friday in Beirut's southern suburbs, has garnered intense anticipation. The event is dedicated to honouring fighters who lost their lives in Israeli bombardments. To date, more than 70 individuals have been killed on the Lebanese side, including at least 50 Hezbollah fighters, as well as other combatants and civilians. On the Israeli side, the conflict has claimed the lives of nine people, including eight soldiers and one civilian, as reported by the Israeli military.