Hezbollah, the Islamic movement in Lebanon, announced that it carried out attacks on Israeli positions on the Lebanese border on Saturday.

An anonymous source told Reuters that Hezbollah deployed a powerful missile that had not been used before in combat, and that targets were struck near the villages of Aita al-Shaab and Rmeish in southern Lebanon. The Israeli army is said to have units stationed in the area to repel attacks from Lebanon.

Hezbollah’s claim cannot be independently verified.

Since the beginning of the Gaza War, there have been brief clashes and mutual bombing between Hezbollah fighters and the Israeli army. Israel’s greatest fear is that Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, will join the war. This means that the army will have to fight on two fronts.

Yesterday, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah delivered his first speech harshly against the Israelis and Americans, but he has not yet announced an extension of the war. He still describes this as an “option”, but he also called on his supporters to be patient. “We need time to strike the final blow.”

The Israeli army said that its warplanes bombed Hezbollah targets in response to a previous attack from Lebanese territory, and that the aerial bombardment was supported by artillery and tank fire.

Peter van Amelrooy

Mr. Hassan Nasrallah Despite all the rhetoric, there appears to be a reluctance to intervene in the Gaza war, as reporter Jane Jean Holtland wrote: Hezbollah has a lot to lose