In a move that could renew international concerns about the expansion of the current conflict between Israel and Hamas to other regions in the area, the Secretary-General of the Lebanese Hezbollah party, Hassan Nasrallah, met on Wednesday with prominent leaders from the Hamas and Islamic Jihad Palestinian movements, according to a statement issued by the Iran-backed party.

• Sources: Hassan Nasrallah’s injury is serious and may prevent him from appearing again

Nasrallah held a meeting with the Deputy Head of the Political Bureau of Hamas, Saleh al-Arouri, and the Secretary-General of the Islamic Jihad Movement, Ziyad al-Nakhalah, as stated in the statement, which did not disclose the location of the meeting.

Hezbollah‘s statement indicated that the attendees “evaluated the positions taken internationally and regionally, and what must be done by the Resistance Axis parties at this sensitive stage to achieve a true victory for the resistance in Gaza and Palestine, and to stop the treacherous and brutal aggression on our oppressed and steadfast people in Gaza and the West Bank.”

• The Israeli army is preparing for surprise Hamas weapons in the event of a ground invasion

Hezbollah‘s media office published a written message to Nasrallah on Wednesday, in which he praised those who were killed in the war against Israel. This is the first statement issued by the Secretary-General of the party since the beginning of the war.

This meeting, which represents Nasrallah’s first appearance since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, comes in parallel with the Israeli army‘s accusations against Iran of “issuing orders to armed factions it supports to carry out recent attacks in Yemen, Iraq, and Lebanon,” and stated that Israel is monitoring the region with its ally, the United States.

• Hezbollah monitors Gaza developments with its hand on the trigger

Observers, as reported by the London-based Arab newspaper, consider that Hezbollah‘s statement uses restrained language and does not suggest any escalation. It also reflects that the party does not want escalation and leans towards ending the war and accepting the losses that Hamas incurs rather than embarking on an unpredictable adventure.

Admiral Daniel Hagari, a spokesperson for the army, said in a statement broadcast by television stations, “Iran is currently providing information to the Hamas movement in Gaza, and it is also helping to fuel anti-Israeli sentiments on a global scale through an online messaging campaign,” according to Reuters.

• Multi-front conflict or de-escalation… Scenarios of escalating tension between Hezbollah and Lebanon

Hezbollah, whose main headquarters is on the Lebanese-Israeli border, could become a player in the war between Hamas and Israel. It has engaged in limited clashes with Israel since the start of the war, raising concerns about the spread of a wider regional conflict, according to CNN.

In Lebanon, Hezbollah is considered a significant “resistance” group whose mission is to confront Israel, which Beirut classifies as an enemy state. However, Western countries classify the party as a “terrorist organization.”

Since the beginning of the war on October 7th, international concerns about the risk of the current conflict extending to other areas in the region have increased, given the skirmishes and rockets launched intermittently from the Lebanese and Syrian borders, resulting in casualties on both sides.