‘Full-blown’ war in Middle East likely if no ceasefire agreed between Israel, Hezbollah
Professor of International Law at the University of Johannesburg Hennie Strydom has warned of a full-blown war in the Middle East if a ceasefire agreement is not reached between Israel and Hezbollah.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli air strike in Beirut on Friday.
The 64-year-old led the Iranian-backed militant group for the past thirty years.
The bombing came moments after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concluded his address to United Nations General Assembly delegates in New York, at which he vowed to keep up strikes against Hezbollah and fight "until victory" against Hamas.
Hezbollah and Israel have been locked in a deadly exchange of cross-border fire since the group's Palestinian ally, Hamas, attacked Israel on October 7.
Meanwhile, the United States of America on Saturday offered clear support for Israel's bombing campaign against Hezbollah, but also said the time has come for ceasefires there and in Gaza.
President Joe Biden called the killing of Nasrallah "a measure of justice for his many victims, including thousands of Americans, Israelis and Lebanese civilians.”
Strydom says if an agreement on a ceasefire is not reached, the conflict will only escalate.
"There must be pressure on both sides. Iran must put pressure on Hezbollah to agree to a ceasefire because Iran is part of the problem. The USA would have to put pressure as well to accept the ceasefire, that is what they are working towards. If the two parties do not agree to that, then there will be an escalation of conflict between the two.
"The reaction from Hezbollah and Iran is fierce. It seems that it is coupled with the other instances recently with the explosions which also killed high-ranking officials of Hezbollah.
"It is pretty obvious and well known that Iran is supporting in many ways and also arming organisations like Hezbollah, and this will, of course, have an effect on the already existing tensions. This is why we are seeing an escalation of alertness in the USA.
"USA has intensified its capabilities and air defence capabilities in the region, which is an indication that the USA is taking this very seriously.”
Meanwhile, according to the United Nations, hundreds of thousands of people have fled to Syria from Lebanon due to Israeli airstrikes.
AFP reported that most of these people are women and children.
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