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Morningsun Online Desk //

The conflict between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah is intensifying amid the ongoing war in Palestine’s Gaza. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has threatened to “punish” Israel after the explosion of electronic devices across Lebanon. On the day of this threat, Israel carried out the largest recent attack on the group. There is a danger of an extreme conflict spreading in the Middle East region at any time.

Since the start of the Gaza war in October last year, Israel and Hezbollah have been carrying out regular counter-attacks. In the meantime, explosions occurred in various electronic devices including pagers (communication devices), walkie-talkies across Lebanon last Tuesday and Wednesday. 37 people including Hezbollah members were killed. More than three thousand people were injured. Then yesterday, Hassan Nasrullah said, Israel has crossed all extreme limits through the explosion of the device. It will be punished.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Israel’s military announced a new attack on Hezbollah’s 100 rocket launchers. Confirming the attack, Lebanon’s state news agency National News Agency said that Israel launched at least 52 attacks in the southern part of the country on Thursday morning. Earlier, Hezbollah reported at least 17 attacks on the country’s military installations in northern Israel.

According to various Lebanese security sources, four people were injured in the Israeli attack. However, it was not immediately clear whether any of them were Hezbollah members. Meanwhile, Israel attacked at least three villages in southern Lebanon on Friday. Video broadcast by Hezbollah-run Al-Manar television showed smoke rising from the scene after an attack today.
UN peacekeeping concerns

Earlier in 2006, there was a war between Israel and the pro-Iranian Hezbollah. After that, the conflict between the two sides, which has been going on for the past one year, is being called the worst. Among them, the attack by Israel on Thursday is said to be the most intense. On the same day, Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Galant said that they will continue military operations against Hezbollah.

The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has expressed concern over the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. On Friday morning, they said, the previous 12 hours had seen “intense fighting” along the Lebanon-Israel border and conflict areas.

UNIFIL spokeswoman Andrea Tenenti told Reuters, “We are concerned about the escalation of conflict around the Blue Line.” We call on all parties to de-escalate the conflict in such a situation. The border between Israel and Lebanon is called the ‘Blue Line’.
‘America is ready for the Middle East’

The United States also called on all concerned parties to reduce the conflict. They are emphasizing on the diplomatic solution of this problem. At a press conference on Thursday, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said, ‘We will stand by Israel’s right to defend itself. But we don’t want to see this conflict escalating any side.’

According to news agency AP, the United States has increased its military presence in the region since last year amid instability in the Middle East. Several U.S. officials said about 40,000 troops, at least a dozen warships and four squadrons of Air Force fighter jets were deployed in various parts of the Middle East to protect allies and prevent attacks on themselves.

However, the US has not officially commented on the escalation of military force in the Middle East in the wake of recent Israel-Hezbollah attacks. “We are confident in our ability to protect our troops right now (in the Middle East) and to protect Israel if needed,” Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said Thursday.