Hezbollah leader speaks for the first time since Hamas attacked Israel

Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, will break its silence on the war in Gaza on Friday in a speech that many in the region expect will provide insight into whether the group will escalate the fight with Israel.

Hezbollah is an ally of Hamas that is also supported by Iran and is committed to the destruction of Israel. Since Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel on October 7 and the subsequent bombing campaign and invasion of Gaza, fears have increased across the Middle East that Hezbollah would open a second front against Israel on its northern border, leading to a wider war.

Hezbollah, like Hamas, has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States and other countries.

In recent weeks, Israel and Hezbollah have been involved in bombings and rocket attacks along the Lebanon-Israel border, although both sides appear to be coordinating their actions to avoid sparking a wider conflict.

Mr Nasrallah, who often speaks to his followers in live speeches that are watched across the region, has not spoken publicly since October 7, raising expectations that he will make a major announcement on Friday.

Fighting appeared to intensify along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon on Thursday. Following a series of cross-border attacks throughout the day, Hezbollah and Hamas both claimed responsibility for separate and serious attacks on northern Israel on Thursday evening. Israeli television broadcast images of the aftermath of the rocket attack on Israel’s northernmost city, Kiryat Shmona.

Earlier in the day, Hezbollah also said it had used explosive-packed drones to attack an Israeli army position in a disputed border area known as Shebaa Farms, the latest indication it is trying to use more of its arsenal.

The Israeli army’s response appeared swift and far-reaching, with the Lebanese state news agency reporting that three civilians had been killed. In a statement, the country’s military said it had targeted Hezbollah’s military infrastructure, command and control centers, weapons caches and military complexes.