Concern Heightens Over Possible Regional Escalation As Hezbollah, Israeli Army In Violent Clash

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati expressed grave concern over possible regional escalation as Hezbollah and the Israeli army clashed violently on Friday along the border.

According to anonymous Lebanese military sources, a fierce exchange of fire broke out between Hezbollah and the Israeli army, involving heavy machine gun fire, artillery and missile shelling, and there are no reports of casualties yet.

Israeli drones and warplanes launched nine raids on seven towns and villages in southern Lebanon and three raids on areas in Hermel, Al-Qasr, and the Matraba crossing on the Lebanese-Syrian border in the east of the country, said the sources.

"The Lebanese army positions monitored the launch of about 50 surface-to-surface missiles from the Lebanese side to Israel in three separate batches, and the Israeli Iron Dome missiles intercepted some of them," the sources added.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah announced on Friday the targeting of Israeli positions in the Western Galilee with Katyusha missiles and the positions of Al-Raheb, Al-Marj, Bayad Blida, and Al-Samaqa.

The party said it fired an air defense missile at an Israeli warplane flying in the airspace of the western region of the south, causing the plane to redirect towards the airspace of occupied Palestine.

Also on Friday, Mikati cautioned that the regional situation may face escalation and potentially lead to spillover risks.

He made the remarks during his visit to the Lebanese army headquarters to mark the 79th Army Day, which falls on Aug. 1 each year.

According to a statement issued by his office, Mikati pointed to the "worrying regional developments that signal an increase in the level of danger and its expansion from one region to another" during the visit.

"Our people in the south, the Bekaa, and in the southern suburb of Beirut, are still facing Israeli attacks that have left hundreds of martyrs and wounded citizens, soldiers and resistance fighters, and displaced families who lost their homes and their properties were burned," said the prime minister.

"We affirm our right to defend our land, sovereignty, and dignity by all available means, and there is no hesitation in this option, no matter how great the sacrifices are," he added.

Mikati noted that "we have informed our sister and friendly countries that we are advocates of peace and not war, and we seek permanent stability by recovering the occupied parts of our dear south."

Tensions escalated along the border region between Israel and Lebanon as an Israeli drone fired on Tuesday evening three missiles at a position near the Shura Council of Hezbollah in Dahieh in Beirut's southern suburbs, killing Fouad Shokor, Hezbollah's top military commander, and seven civilians.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah has threatened a definite and painful response to the Israeli raid at the appropriate time and place.
-XINHUA