Escalation at the southern borders and regional implications

Sunday marked the most intense day regarding the Israeli attacks on the southern borders since the truce ended four days ago.

The intensity of Israeli shelling increased on the borders of southern towns, with Israeli missiles reaching the bush between the towns of Rashaya Al-Fakhar and Al-Fureidis in Hasbaya. This indicates that Israel is expanding the scope of its aggression to the south.

This article was initially published in, translated from the online newspaper Al-Anbaa. 

Meanwhile, Hezbollah targeted several Israeli sites, with the most notable news being the targeting of a gathering that resulted in the injury of 11 Israelis, including eight soldiers, according to Israeli sources.

This comes in the context of a noticeable escalation that could change the rules of clashes in the upcoming days, making them more open to various possibilities.

On another note, Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati continued his meetings in Dubai on the sidelines of the COP 28 Climate Summit.

He met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to discuss Palestinian developments.

However, the most prominent file was discussed in his meeting with officials from TotalEnergies. Mikati urged the resumption of drilling operations in Block 9 and the exploration of new wells in other blocks.

But Mikati's request is unlikely to find receptive ears, as the company, which halted its operations shortly after the aggression on Gaza began, citing technical reasons, will not resume its work in Lebanon for political reasons, according to observers closely monitoring the file.

The reasons are linked to the Israeli aggression on Gaza on the one hand and the fragile security situation in Lebanon following the southern developments.

Furthermore, the sources pointed out that the global and European energy markets, in particular, require massive quantities of gas, and the Russian-Ukrainian war, along with the Gaza conflict, is affecting supply lines and prices.

Therefore, there is a need for Lebanese gas, if found, as well as Israeli gas.

However, the sources said, "Energy security is linked to politics, and Lebanon is not expected to be allowed to start gas extraction before regional settlements are established in the area."

Additionally, the Israeli army initiated operations in the southern Gaza Strip, launching ground operations in Khan Yunis. It may expand its operations in the coming hours and days, increasing the humanitarian crisis in the Strip and the number of martyrs and displaced persons. This indicates that the aggression will not stop soon.

Simultaneously with the Israeli aggression on Gaza, tension escalated in the Red Sea as the Houthis claimed responsibility for attacking American and foreign military and commercial ships. Israel and the United States sent warships to the region, threatening to expand the conflict in the area.

In conclusion, Lebanon is on a 'hot seat' at all levels, with pending issues and the holiday season just weeks away.

However, the country and its citizens urgently need to start resolving these issues step by step before things worsen further, and there is a risk of Lebanon sliding into unfavorable circumstances.