All eyes on Lebanon as Hezbollah leader Nasrallah set to give fateful speech on Friday

After a suspicious absence from the limelight following the start of war between Israel and Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7, Hezbollah’s Sec.-Gen. Hassan Nasrallah announced that he will be giving a major address to his supporters in Beirut, Lebanon on Friday at 3 p.m. local time.

The speech is widely expected to reveal the direction the Iranian-backed terror organization Hezbollah intends to take in the conflict with Israel.

Israel and the U.S. have so far made major efforts to keep Hezbollah on the sidelines of the war.

U.S. President Joe Biden sent a strong message to that effect with his repeated warnings of “don’t,” and the transfer of two U.S. carrier strike groups to the region to underscore his statement.

Hezbollah, so far, has slowly but continuously escalated attacks on Israel’s northern border, leading to a broad mobilization of IDF troops along the border and the evacuation of most civilian communities there.

The Shi’ite terror organization and its allies in Lebanon have fired rockets, grenades, guided missiles and surface-to-air missiles at Israeli targets on a daily basis.

At least 50 terrorists, and likely more, were eliminated in Israeli retaliatory strikes, a fact Hezbollah has publicized to garner support in war-weary Lebanon.

“There are signs Nasrallah is preparing to announce an all-out war against Israel, opening a second major front where the Israeli military will face an adversary that is better armed and more entrenched than Hamas in Gaza,” Jonathan Schanzer from the Foundation for Freedom of Democracies (FDD) wrote on Wednesday.

The day before the speech, Hezbollah carried out a broad attack firing at least 25 rockets and mortar bombs at targets along the border at the same time, which may, in retrospect, prove to be the opening act to a larger offensive.

On the other hand, “there is a chance that Nasrallah’s speech will be an exercise in chest-thumping and excuse-making, rather than a declaration of war,” Schanzer wrote.

“He may declare that Hezbollah will continue to ‘resist’ Israel’s invasion of Gaza by carrying out limited strikes that would fall short of eliciting a major response to Israel. The Hezbollah chief might even lament that his hands are tied because the United States has warned his group not to widen this war.”

Meanwhile Israeli representatives have made it clear they are ready for any escalation.

“We maintain high readiness in all arenas,” IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi emphasized in a statement on Thursday.

“We are operating on the northern border… and are constantly committed to being ready for the expansion of scenarios to other arenas as well. The Air Force operates in the Gaza Strip with great power and with great distinction.”

“But make no mistake - we are operating less than half of the strength of the Air Force in the Gaza Strip!" Halevi added. "Most of the force is prepared and ready, with bombs on the wings and people who are ready to leap at any moment to the planes, to go out and attack in other arenas, as soon as necessary.”