What's happened
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah addressed the recent Israeli attacks that killed at least 37 people and injured over 3,000 in Lebanon. He described the assaults as unprecedented and a declaration of war, while warning of potential escalation along the Israeli-Lebanese border. The situation raises fears of an all-out conflict.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to Al Jazeera, Nasrallah described the attacks as a 'major blow' and a 'declaration of war,' emphasizing that they targeted civilians and critical infrastructure. He stated, 'The fighting on the Lebanese front will not stop before the war in Gaza ends.' Meanwhile, Axios highlighted that the Israeli strikes were aimed at crippling Hezbollah's military capabilities, with Israeli officials asserting that Hezbollah has turned civilian areas into combat zones. Metro reported on the panic in Lebanon as Israeli warplanes conducted strikes, indicating a heightened state of alert among civilians. The contrasting perspectives from these sources illustrate the complexity of the situation, with Hezbollah's defiance against Israel's military actions juxtaposed against the backdrop of civilian suffering and potential escalation.
How we got here
The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel has escalated since October 2023, with near-daily exchanges of fire. Recent Israeli attacks have targeted Hezbollah operatives, leading to significant casualties and heightened tensions in the region.
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Israel, formally known as the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia, located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea.
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Hezbollah is a Shia Islamist political party and militant group based in Lebanon. Hezbollah's paramilitary wing is the Jihad Council, and its political wing is the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc party in the Lebanese parliament.
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Hassan Nasrallah is the third and current Secretary General of the Lebanese political and paramilitary party Hezbollah since his predecessor, Abbas al-Musawi, was assassinated by the Israel Defense Forces in February 1992.
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Gaza may refer to:
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Fuad Shukr (Arabic: فؤاد شكر; 15 April 1961– 30 July 2024; sometimes spelled Fouad Shukar and also known by his aliases Al-Hajj Mohsen or Mohsen Shukr) was a Lebanese militant leader who was a senior member of Hezbollah. A member of Hezbollah's f