The leader of hezbollah on thursday described two waves of deadly attacks across lebanon using explosives and pages and walkietalkies as a declaration of war. In a televised address, hassan nasrallah said that israel crossed red lines after 37 people were killed and thousands injured in the surprise attacks across lebanon on tuesday and wednesday. He vowed to the people who had evacuated their homes in northern israel amid exchanges of fire would not be able to return unless israel ends its attacks on gaza. As he was speaking, israel's military confirmed its fighter jets launched fresh strikes, hitting more than 100 hezbollah rocket launchers in southern lebanon. He said some of the launchers were ready to be fired. Peace talks are being held in paris with the french president emmanuel macron saying a diplomatic path exists in lebanon. In a message to the lebanese people, he said, no regional adventure or private interest, no loyalty to a cause merited triggering a conflict. America's top diplomat antony blinken travelled to the french capital, saying that all parties need to deescalate. France and the united states are united in calling for restraint and urging deescalation when it comes to the middle east in general and when it comes to lebanon in particular. We continue to work to get a ceasefire for gaza over the finish line and as we discussed with some of you just a day ago in egypt, we believe that remains both possible and necessary but meanwhile, we don't want to see any escalatory actions by any party that make that even more difficult. Israel military chief yoav gallant signalled that its military would not stop its attacks on lebanon any time soon. The defence minister says recent attacks are part of an effort to degrade hezbollah*s military capabilities after what he called decades of aggression. Translation: this is | a new phase of the war. It bears opportunities but also significant risks. Hezbollah feels that it is being persecuted and a sequence of military action will continue. Our goal is to ensure the safe return of israel's northern communities to their homes. As time goes by, hezbollah will pay an increasing price. Joining me now is michael oren, he was israeli ambassador to the united states from 2009. I would like to begin with as fresh tracks we've seen from hezbollah on israel targets. Where do you see that going? good to be with you. After 11 months of unprovoked hezbollah strikes against civilians of israel, we have 100,000 people who have been driven from their homes, we have thousands of homes, we have thousands of homes that have been destroyed, dozens killed and wounded, about 70,000 acres of farmland and forest land incinerated by hezbollah, israel is striking back and as the defence minister says the goal is to return the hundred thousand to their home and it is a perfectly legitimate goal. Israel will of course a the diplomatic option if secretary of state lincoln and america's special envoy to the region can convince hezbollah to withdraw north of the river, between 13 and 20 kilometres from the border, in accordance with us resolution you in relation un resolution you in relation un resolution back in 2006. It would be preferable to do that but if there is no diplomatic solution, israel will have no choice whatsoever but to drive hezbollah back from the border, because hezbollah, as long as it is along the border, 100,000 israelis will not be able to return home, nor would they be willing to return home if hezbollah is on the other side of the offence. So israel is in a very difficult position right now and no one wants a walk and this war would be much, much greater and much bigger than a war with hamas, but again the majority of israelis at this point really feel they have no option. 50 point really feel they have no otion. Y point really feel they have no otion., ~ , option. So you think there is the possibility _ option. So you think there is the possibility of option. So you think there is the possibility of a _ option. So you think there is the possibility of a war option. So you think there is the possibility of a war thatl the possibility of a war that has continued for many years, a shadow war, some might say, coming out now into the open? do you think that's a possibility? i do you think that's a possibility? do you think that's a possibility? do you think that's a ossibili ? ~ ,. possibility? i think it is a very real _ possibility? i think it is a very real possibility, possibility? i think it is a very real possibility, a i very real possibility, a danger, but if hezbollah keeps shelling israeli communities in the north, exploding drones, as many as 100, sometimes even 200 of these rockets per day, israel can't simply abandon the northern part of this country. We are talking about an area of israel known to a great number of people, right now it is a war zone and there are entire cities that have been reduced to ghost towns. That is not a tolerable situation for any sovereign country. I think if one rocket fell on great britain, great britain would react much more than we have done, now that almost 10,000 rockets have been fired at northern israel. This is a very different situation than the south. It is far less complex. It is blackandwhite. Hezbollah attacked us, totally unprovoked, and continues to do that on a daily basis. Israel has every right and every duty to defend itself. You has every right and every duty to defend itself. has every right and every duty to defend itself. You have said nobody wants _ to defend itself. You have said nobody wants to _ to defend itself. You have said nobody wants to see _ to defend itself. You have said nobody wants to see a to defend itself. You have said nobody wants to see a further| nobody wants to see a further escalation. Ijust nobody wants to see a further escalation. I just wonder what you think about any possibility here for deescalation. Of course we know that the united states has continued to call for that, secretary of state antony blinken made that call once again today in paris. Any chance that that might prevail? only if hezbollah stops firing, it's very simple. Israel is not seeking a war with hezbollah, did not seek it on october eight when hezbollah joined hamas in the attack on the state of israel, and ever since thenit state of israel, and ever since then it has continued unabated. I respect very much the secretary of state's efforts to try to deescalate. I think that calling on both sides to deescalate is missing the point. It's one side that is attacking the other side, it is biscuit for tat, it is an unprovoked blatant aggression by one side against the other, and our hope in israel that our friends and allies in the united states will send an unequivocal message to hezbollah, that that type flagrant aggression cannot be permitted to go unpunished. I just want to ask you of course all of this is entwined somehow with of course the us election coming up in november. And i wonder what you think prime minister netanyahu will be making of all of this, and whether you think he might be waiting perhaps with his strategy to see what happens, and who ends up in the white house. I and who ends up in the white house. . and who ends up in the white house. . W. , house. I am actually here in washington. _ house. I am actually here in washington, we _ house. I am actually here in washington, we have house. I am actually here in washington, we have just i washington, we have just attended washington, we havejust attended a conference here of the israel american council, we have just heard donald trump speaking now, and received a warm welcome here, so certainly the israel issue is a prominent issue in the 2024 presidential elections. We would like to see the support of israel always be a bipartisan issue in the united states and we strive for that but it has become an issue between the candidates. I think anybody who believes the outcome of this election is going to profoundly impact the war as it stands now is mistaken. We are talking about in november, it is a long time already of this war going on, there are more than 211,000 arabamericans ir going jan there are more than 211,000 arabamericans ir going on, already of this war going on, and even if there were a change and even if there were in the administration, it's not already of this war going on, ar the *en if there were already of this war going on, ar the administration, it's not in the administration, it's not you have untiljanuary. That is you have untiljanuary. That is an eternity in middle eastern terms and certainly in wartime in the administration, it's not you have untiljanuar eastern; an eternity in middle eastern terms and certainly in wartime terms, and the decisions about terms, and the decisions about israel's vital security, vital israel's vital security, vital defence, have to be made in the defence, have to be made in the coming days. Coming days. Defence, have to be made in the defence, have to be made in the coming dam coming dam defence, have to be made in the coming days. _ thankl coming days. Thank you. Thank arabamericans in michigan defence, have to be made in the coming days. _ thankl coming days. Thank you. Thank ou. Coming days. Thank you. Thank you good _ coming days. Thank you. Thank ou. Coming days. Thank you. Thank you good _ coming days. Thank you. Thank you. Good evening. _ you. Good evening. _ the uncommitted movement, the uncommitted movement, a group of voters opposed a group of voters opposed to the support of israel to the support of israel in gaza by the us's leaders in gaza by the us's leaders urged supporters to vote urged supporters to vote against donald trump against donald trump and to avoid third party candidates. And to avoid third party candidates. The announcement coincides the announcement coincides with kamala harris*s visit with kamala harris*s visit to the key swing state to the key swing state of michigan which has of michigan which has the highest percentage the highest percentage of arabamericans in the united states. Of arabamericans in the united states. There are more than 211,000 there are more than 211,000 arabamericans in michigan which is the second highest number in the united states behind california. Caitriona perry has been speaking to voters in michigan about key issues of concern to them. You are very welcome to saginaw in michigan where we have been tonight. We've been travelling over several cities over the last couple of days in michigan, reallyjust trying to take the temperatures of voters and see how people are feeling in this race, which is so tight. Here in saginaw, it is a swing city and the swing county in the battle ground state of michigan. Joe biden won the state byjust 2. 7% in 2020. Donald trump won it by an even smaller margin in 2016, just 0. 3% or thereabouts and talking to voters here, they are motivated by a range of issues coming up time and again, the issues of economy, inflation, the cost of living, housing, immigration, health care education, but in dearborn in particular, which is home to the largest arabamerican and muslim american communities in this country, top of the agenda there is the situation in the middle east, in gaza, in lebanon, further afield and specifically the us policy towards israel. I was here in april, and voters than in those areas were very concerned about the approachjoe biden was taking to israel in support of prime minister netanyahu in the intervening months. That position has hardened from those i spoke to and of course the news coming today from the uncommitted organisation that they do not plan to endorse kamala harris, those people of course many of them lifelong democrats. And we spoke to someone who shares that viewpoint. She is in dearborn in michigan. Viewpoint. She is in dearborn in michigan in michigan. And i feel like now, in michigan. And i feel like now. 25 in michigan. And i feel like now, 25 years _ in michigan. And i feel like now, 25 years later, in michigan. And i feel like now, 25 years later, there| in michigan. And i feel like i now, 25 years later, there is in michigan. And i feel like. Now, 25 years later, there is a recurrence of the same situation that we were experiencing in my childhood, where israel is advancing into southern lebanon yet again, and it hits very close to home. I have my sister that lives in lebanon, i have a lot of extended family that live there, so it is difficult to conduct your day to day without that being top of mind for many people. And i thinkjust the broader issue is that there is really focused attention on foreign policy, not as much is happening from a domestic standpoint. We have a lot of happening from a domestic standpoint. We i here lot of happening from a domestic standpoint. We i here int of party candidate. Here in saginaw, a range of different issues as well. Around the economy, around housing. This is a city that once enjoyed the heyday of the auto trade like so much of michigan but now there are, as you can probably see behind me, derelict buildings, businesses that are no longer operational, a loss ofjobs means a loss of people, and that cycle continues. But there are those in the city who are fighting to bring it back to life, and we spoke to one of those. She describes herself as a serial entrepreneur. Have you decided who you're going to vote for? i decided who you're going to vote for? decided who you're going to vote for? do decided who you're going to vote for? do you decided who you're going to i vote for? do you want vote for? i have. Do you want to tell us? vote for? i have. Do you want to tell us? i _ vote for? i have. Do you want to tell us? i don't! _ vote for? i have. Do you want to tell us? | don't! |_ vote for? i have. Do you want to tell us? i don't! i have. Vote for? i have. Do you want to tell us? i don't! i have. I. To tell us? i don't! i have. I considered _ to tell us? i don't! i have. I considered both _ to tell us? i don't! i have. I considered both options,. To tell us? i don't! i have. I. Considered both options, and i am going with harris. Considered both options, and i am going with harris. Have you voted democrat _ am going with harris. Have you voted democrat in _ am going with harris. Have you voted democrat in the am going with harris. Have you voted democrat in the past? i. Voted democrat in the past? i have voted both in the past, i consider myself independent. What is it this time leading you into the democrat camp? honestly, i don't see that leadership piece with trump. I see a lot of what was, and what was wasn't so nice for people that look like me in this country. I do know that that camp motivates his base to kind of hone in on imperialistic tendencies, where they take action that can hurt, harm or damage of the people, businesses, schools, what happened in springfield was an atrocity, and it wasjust motivated by that camp admittedly wanting to garner the media's attention. So that didn't motivate me to say hey, you know what, he is able to move people, it didn't give what it was supposed to give, and so we are, i'm definitely leaning towards a more harriswalz leadership for our people and for myself. Harriswalz leadership for our people and for myself. Recent olls people and for myself. Recent polls hear people and for myself. Recent polls hear from _ people and for myself. Recent polls hear from the _ people and for myself. Recent polls hear from the state people and for myself. Recent polls hear from the state of. Polls hear from the state of michigan do put kamala harris a couple of percentage points ahead of donald trump, but that is generally within the margin of error, so this is a super tight race that many are desc