Lebanon’s extremist organization Hezbollah has said that it has a “key role” in the war between Israel and Hamas and that if Israel launches ground attacks on the Gaza Strip, it will have to pay a heavy price. This statement of Hezbollah’s deputy leader Sheikh Naim Qasim came at a time when Israel carried out bombings and drone attacks in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah fired rockets and missiles towards Israel.
Hezbollah said six of its fighters were killed in the attack on Saturday, the highest number of casualties in a single day since the war began two weeks ago. Qassim said that Hezbollah has a clear objective of creating tension on the Lebanon-Israel border. He said, “We are trying to weaken the Israeli enemy and let them know that we are ready.” Hamas has said that if Israel launches ground attacks in Gaza, Hezbollah will join the war.
After Hamas militants attacked cities in southern Israel on October 7, Israel laid siege to the Gaza Strip and launched several retaliatory airstrikes. The border between Egypt and Gaza was opened on Saturday, after which the process of providing aid to Palestinians suffering from shortage of food, medicine and water due to the Israeli siege that has continued for almost two weeks was started.
According to aid workers, only 20 trucks were allowed into Gaza, which is insufficient to deal with the enormous humanitarian crisis. More than 200 trucks carrying about 3,000 tons of aid meant for Gaza were waiting at the border for several days. Hospitals say they are short of medical supplies and fuel for emergency generators due to power outages across the region.
Dr. Nidal Abed, an orthopedic surgeon in Gaza, said that when he performs surgery without adequate anesthesia, the screams of the patients frighten even the injured waiting for treatment. He said that all possible efforts are being made for treatment amidst inadequate medical supplies and crowd of injured. He is forced to treat patients on floors, corridors and rooms packed with patients. Amidst the lack of adequate medical supplies, clothes are being used instead of bandages, vinegar instead of antiseptic and needles used to sew clothes for surgery.
There is speculation that Iran-backed Hezbollah may try to open a new front in the Israel-Hamas war by launching large-scale attacks on northern Israel. Hezbollah has thousands of rockets and missiles as well as various types of drones. Qasim said that his organization has entangled the Israeli army by creating tension on the Lebanon-Israel border so that it remains busy in the northern area instead of preparing for an attack on Gaza.
He said, “Do you think that if you try to crush the Palestinian resistance, other militias in the region will not act?” Today we also have an important role in this war. Lebanon’s official National News Agency said that an Israeli drone fired the missile at a valley in the Sejoud area, about 20 kilometers north of the Israeli border.
Hezbollah did not immediately confirm the attack, but if true it would be a major incident because it is in the interior of Lebanon, far from the border. An Associated Press correspondent in southern Lebanon confirmed Saturday that loud explosions were heard near the border along the Mediterranean coast.