Lebanon's Hezbollah leader threatens escalation with Israel as war with Hamas rages on
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00:00 For more on this story, we can go across to Rawad Taha, standing by in Beirut.
00:04 Rawad, Hezbollah's chief seemed to have left the door open for what the group's next steps
00:10 will be.
00:11 Yes, definitely.
00:12 After a very long speech, in the last part in particular, he addressed the escalation
00:18 and the confrontations happening on the southern front of Lebanon.
00:23 Basically Hassan Nasrallah left the door open to further escalation.
00:28 He clearly said that, especially in two scenarios.
00:32 One according to the developments of the ground invasion in Gaza.
00:36 Two, according to the rules of engagement currently set by Hezbollah in the south.
00:43 So he mentioned that if Israel retaliates again by attacking any civilians in southern
00:49 Lebanon, then that could possibly lead to an escalation, as well as the developments
00:54 on the ground, given the ground invasion.
00:57 So yes, it seems that what the Lebanese were expecting was the option.
01:04 So it didn't escalate right away during the speech, and he didn't call for any de-escalation
01:10 in particular, but he left the door open to further escalation down the line in the next
01:15 few days.
01:16 So I think it will be important to look at the southern front of Lebanon within the next
01:21 few days.
01:22 Rawad, as you were speaking, we were showing images of Hezbollah supporters listening to
01:26 Nasrallah's speech, and clearly they are very excited by what he had to say.
01:31 What are ordinary Lebanese telling you?
01:34 They may support the Palestinian cause and not like what they see in Gaza, but do they
01:39 want the country dragged into a war?
01:43 Definitely I think the majority of the Lebanese people do not want to be dragged into any
01:48 sort of full-scale war or conflict.
01:51 Even probably Hezbollah supporters themselves and their close circles know that Lebanon
01:56 cannot afford this war.
01:58 And this is based on conversations I've had with people in southern Lebanon over the past
02:03 few weeks.
02:04 Today, the country is passing in its worst economic crisis.
02:08 Its relations with the other Arab countries, in particular the Gulf countries, isn't at
02:13 its best.
02:14 Its relationships with the international community also isn't at its best.
02:19 So everyone is worried on the fact that if Lebanon does go to any full-scale war, who
02:25 would handle the cost of rebuilding the nation and all the lost infrastructures, given the
02:31 current economic situation and given the current diplomatic situation of the country as well?
02:36 A lot of political parties, a lot of opposition figures have publicly called on Nasrallah
02:42 in the past few days not to join this war or not to give Israel an excuse for also attacking
02:50 Lebanon or attacking the capital and its suburbs.
02:54 Well, thank you very much for the update.
02:57 Rawat Daha reporting live for us from Beirut.