Amid Lebanese optimism regarding the nearing completion of a maritime border delineation agreement with Israel, following news of U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein's imminent return to Lebanon with a new response after recent discussions, the occupation has launched a bloody war in Gaza, executing assassinations within the ranks of the Islamic Jihad movement, linked to Iran and Hezbollah.
Lebanese fears of activating the southern front to relieve Gaza have intensified following statements from Ismail Qaani, commander of the Quds Force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, who claimed that what is happening in Gaza is "the final blow to the Zionist entity for its removal from existence," and that "Iran supports Hezbollah, which has made good progress and is currently relying on its internal capabilities."
Lebanese sources interpreted these remarks as a sign of the potential expansion of the Gaza war into regional dimensions, from which Lebanon may not escape. They also pointed out that the Zionist escalation is laden with incendiary messages, extending beyond simply targeting "Islamic Jihad" to delivering threats to "Hezbollah" and its Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, who has vowed an open war with the entity and the bombing of its maritime and gas facilities if an agreement is not reached by next September.
Conversely, diplomatic reports that reached Beirut in recent hours ruled out any connection between the aggression in Gaza and the possibility of inflaming the situation on the border with Lebanon. Due to these reports, talk circulating from Egyptian circles about the potential involvement of Hezbollah in military operations, in response to events in Gaza, has been deemed "not serious" at this time, given various constraints preventing Lebanon from being dragged into this operation, which is considered limited in timing, shape, and substance.
