Defence Min-We Will Reach State Of Readiness To Take Action In Lebanon

Wires carrying comments from Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant stating that Israel "will reach a state of full readiness to take any action required in Lebanon", adding that "we'd prefer to reach a negotiated arrangement, but if needed we know how to fight." Violence on the Israeli-Lebanese border has escalated in recent weeks, raising global concerns of the outbreak of a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah.

• Given the Iranian-backed groups significant military resources in comparison to Hamas this could prove a more protracted, bloody, and regionally-impactful war. Indeed, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah's comments in June suggesting that EU member state Cyprus would be seen as part of any conflictif its bases were used to attack Lebanon raised concerns of the EU being drawn directly into any conflict.
• Deputy Assistant to US President Joe Biden Amos Hochstein is in Paris today for talks with French officials on effoerts to avoid a full-scale conflict between Israle and Hezbollah.
• Emanuel Fabian at the Times of Israel posts on X regarding a Hezbollah statement confirming the death of 'commander' Muhammad Nimah Nasser in an Israeli strike; "The terror group rarely refers to its senior operatives slain in Israeli strikes as commanders. The only other operatives referred to as commanders were Taleb Abdullah -- the commander of the Nasr regional division -- killed last month, and Wissam al-Tawil -- the deputy head of the terror group's elite Radwan unit -- killed by Israel in January."