In his first public address since the war’s commencement, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah stated that his group had joined the recent cross-border fighting but did not announce full engagement in the war.

He suggested the possibility of escalation.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during his third visit to Israel since the war began, reiterated U.S. support for Israel’s right to defend itself and called for a “humanitarian pause” to aid Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a temporary cease-fire without the return of hostages taken by Hamas and vowed to continue the military offensive, the Associated Press reported.

Blinken emphasized the need for immediate humanitarian aid to Gaza to protect Palestinian civilians and stressed the importance of pursuing a two-state solution for the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

In the midst of this, Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas, attacked Israeli military positions in northern Israel, leading to Israeli military retaliation.

Written by B.C. Begley