Israel on brink of explosive clash with Hezbollah as 'time running out' for diplomacy

Israel has been warned "time is running out" to find a diplomatic solution to avoid an explosive escalation in its feud with Hezbollah.

The Iran-backed militant group has been embroiled in a bitter dispute with Tel Aviv since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip last October.

Tensions have rocketed in recent days, with Hezbollah repeatedly targeting Israel with rocket strikes and Israeli politicians signalling a potential expansion of its military operations into Lebanon.

Former Israeli intelligence officer Avi Melamed told the Daily Express that recent developments suggest the ongoing feud could soon erupt into a direct clash.

Mr Melamed said: "It seems time is running out for the diplomatic efforts to cool the laddering escalations between Israel and Hezbollah on the border between Israel and Lebanon.

"[Wednesday]’s Hezbollah strike on the Druze village of Hurfeish, the brush fires caused by Hezbollah rockets earlier this week, and statements from Israel’s political and military leaders seem to indicate that a major operation is impending."

He continued: "Further reports from Lebanon indicate that Hezbollah may be evacuating its leaders and their families from their stronghold in Southern Beirut, and that Iran may have evacuated its embassy in Lebanon.

"Ultimately the people of Lebanon will suffer most from Iran’s imperialistic 'resistance' which seeks to hold the region hostage, Israel hostage, but most directly the Lebanese people hostage.”

Israel and Hezbollah have been exchanging fire daily since a day after Hamas’ October 7 attack, which set off the war in Gaza.

The deadly fighting has displaced tens of thousands of people on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border and sparked fears of a wider regional war.

The strike on Hurfeish came hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toured a separate area of the border, promising to restore calm to the north.

During his visit, Mr Netanyahu said Israel is “prepared for very intense action” along its northern border with Lebanon. He said: “One way or another, we will restore security to the north.”

The Israeli Prime Minister has come under pressure to tackle the violence in the area for months.

More than 400 people have been killed in Lebanon, most of them fighters but also including more than 70 civilians and noncombatants. In Israel, 15 soldiers and 10 civilians have been killed since October.

Israel and Hezbollah fought a war in 2006. The group is believed to have tens of thousands of rockets at its disposal which could reach deep into Israel, and Israelis fear militants in the north could stage a cross-border raid similar to Hamas.