Since the war in Gaza began after Hamas¡¯ surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7, people across the Middle East have feared it could set off a second war between Israel and Hezbollah, the powerful Lebanese militia, and ignite a broader regional conflagration.

That is not Hezbollah¡¯s plan, the group¡¯s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, said in a widely anticipated address to his followers on Friday, his first public remarks since the start of the war. He warned, however, that Hezbollah¡¯s forces were ready for anything.

Hezbollah, he said, was already doing what it set out to do: exchanging fire with a portion of Israel¡¯s military to keep it tied up along the northern border with Lebanon, reducing the burden on Hamas.