<p>Lebanon (MNN) &#8212; <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-06-25/austin-warns-that-israel-hezbollah-clash-could-touch-off-new-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Escalating tensions</strong></span></a> threaten to tip the Gaza war into a regional conflict. Canada called its citizens out of Lebanon <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/06/26/canada-tells-its-citizens-to-leave-lebanon-as-israel-hezbollah-conflict-intensifies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">yesterday</a></strong></span> due to the deteriorating security situation, as Israel and Hezbollah <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/us-pushes-halt-hezbollah-israel-fighting-meeting-israeli-defence-minister" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>trade daily assaults</strong></span></a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>.</strong></span></p>
<p>Speaking to MNN from Beirut, <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart-for-lebanon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Heart for Lebanon</strong></span></a>’s Camille Melki says, “In the last few days, it felt like this tension was escalating further, with both [sides] threatening to escalate it to the next level.”</p>
<p><a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/06/25/israel-hezbollah-war-2006-lebanon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Military analysts warn</strong></span></a> that a war today would be worse than the conflict between Israel and Lebanon in 2006.</p>
<p>“Any conflict between Hezbollah and Israel that goes to the next level could escalate [to] a regional war. The political paramilitary groups in Iraq and Yemen could join the conflict,” Melki says.</p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Iran has many arms that it can use to support Hezbollah, and that brings so much fear to all of us.”</strong></p>
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<p>The United States continues to push Israel and Hamas toward a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3817297/austin-urges-israel-to-de-escalate-tensions-on-border-with-lebanon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">diplomatic solution</a></strong></span>, warning that its ability to deter aggression from either side is limited.</p>
<p>“Lebanese are all concerned. As a nation, we are people of peace; we desire and pray that this conflict ends sooner than later,” Melki says.</p>
<div id="attachment_203004" style="width: 250px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/HFL_aid-dist.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-203004" class="size-medium wp-image-203004" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/HFL_aid-dist-240x300.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="300" srcset="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/HFL_aid-dist-240x300.jpg 240w, https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/HFL_aid-dist-768x960.jpg 768w, https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/HFL_aid-dist-819x1024.jpg 819w, https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/HFL_aid-dist.jpg 1092w" sizes="(max-width: 240px) 100vw, 240px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-203004" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)</p></div>
<p>Heart for Lebanon cares for displaced Lebanese families and introduces fearful hearts to the hope and love of Christ. <a href="https://heartforlebanon.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Find ways to help on Heart for Lebanon’s website.</strong></span></a></p>
<p>“We exist for times like this. We’re here to be the hand and feet of Jesus amid the dark days,” Melki says. “We don’t celebrate these moments of turmoil, but we are here for that purpose.”</p>
<p>Founded in 2006, “Heart for Lebanon serves all [vulnerable] people in our nation. We serve unconditionally, and we exist to help lead people from despair to hope,” Melki continues.</p>
<p>“This is our moment to be there, in the midst of that conflict, showing the love of Jesus Christ without any discrimination and sharing the Gospel alongside every humanitarian aid we can provide.”</p>
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<p><em>Header image depicts Lebanese army soldiers. (Photo courtesy of <a href="https://pixabay.com/photos/lebanon-lebanese-army-soldiers-6992869/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fahed27 via Pixabay</a>)</em></p>

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