Hamas political bureau chief Ismaïl Haniyeh, left, received by Hezbollah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah, June 23, 2022. (Photo: NNA)
BEIRUT — The head of Hamas' political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, met with Hezbollah's head Hassan Nasrallah Wednesday, two days after his arrival in Beirut, Hezbollah said in a statement.
Here’s what we know:
• The statement said that Haniyeh, accompanied by a delegation, discussed with the Hezbollah leader "the latest developments in Palestine and Lebanon at the political level and on the ground.” The two leaders also discussed the "development of the resistance and the threats and challenges ahead," and reaffirmed "the mutual assistance between all parts of the resistance in the service of its central objective: al-Quds [Arabic for Jerusalem], holy places and the Palestinian cause,” the statement said.
• Hezbollah considers itself to be a force of resistance against Israel, as does Hamas, which holds power in the Gaza Strip, which has long been under Israeli blockade.
• Tensions between Lebanon and Israel rekindled recently after Israel deployed a production, storage and offloading vessel to the disputed Karish offshore gas field.