Lebanon's Hezbollah is not seeking to widen its conflict with Israel but is ready to fight any war imposed on it, its deputy leader was quoted as saying on Tuesday, as hostilities across the Lebanese-Israeli border remained intense.
Lebanon's Hezbollah deputy leader Sheikh Naim Qassem, Reuters/Aziz Taher
Lebanon's Hezbollah is not seeking to widen its conflict with Israel but is ready to fight any war imposed on it, its deputy leader was quoted as saying on Tuesday, as hostilities across the Lebanese-Israeli border remained intense.
The Iran-backed Hezbollah group and Israel have been exchanging fire along the border strip for the past eight months in parallel with the Gaza war, raising concerns that an even broader conflict could break out between the heavily armed adversaries.
The violence, which has oscillated for months, escalated in recent days. Hezbollah announced on Tuesday it had launched a squadron of one-way attack drones at an Israeli military barracks for a second consecutive day, calling it a response to a deadly Israeli attack on Lebanon.
Hezbollah deputy leader Sheikh Naim Qassem told broadcaster Al-Jazeera that the group's decision was not to "widen the war" but that it would fight one if it was imposed on it, according to a newsflash run by the broadcaster before the interview was screened.
The hostilities have been the worst between Israel and Hezbollah since they went to war in 2006, and tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border have been forced to flee their homes.
Lebanon is currently experiencing one of the most turbulent periods in its modern history.
The country is not only grappling with a severe economic crisis but also the pervasive influence of Hezbollah.
The Lebanese government finds itself incapacitated, unable to curb Hezbollah's aggressive actions, largely due to the group's backing by Iran.
This combination of internal strife and external influence has left the Lebanese population feeling increasingly vulnerable and frustrated.
Reporting by Maya Gebeily
Israel will escalate strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday, as a U.S. official said the militia had ignored warnings to halt firing at Israel in a conflict that could threaten U.S.-Iran negotiations.
Iran's top negotiator and its foreign minister were in Doha for talks with Qatar's prime minister on a potential deal with the U.S. to end the three-month-old war, an official briefed on the visit said on Monday, after Washington and Tehran played down hopes for an imminent breakthrough.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday that conclusions have been reached on many topics discussed in a potential 14-point memorandum of understanding, but this does not mean a deal to end the Middle East war is imminent.
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