Israel-Hezbollah conflict escalates, stoking fears of regional war
China DailyPeople watch Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah delivering a televised address, as they sit at a cafe in Beirut, Lebanon Sept 19, 2024. In a televised speech, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah condemned recent explosions targeting communication devices across Lebanon, calling them "an act of war" and squarely blaming Israel. Following Nasrallah's speech, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated in a video message from the Kirya military base in Tel Aviv that Israel's military operations in Lebanon would continue. A senior Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told state broadcaster Kan TV that "a military action in the northern arena now seems unavoidable" after nearly a year of border skirmishes. As tensions escalated, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati urged the UN Security Council on Thursday to take a "deterrent" and "firm" stance against Israel's "aggression" and "technological war" against Lebanon.