RUSSIAN mercenaries could team up with the terrorist group Hezbollah to open up a “second front” in the Israeli war against Hamas, US intelligence has claimed.

The Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary organisation, is planning to provide an air-defence system to the Lebanon-based terror group, officials in the United States have said.

It’s believed the Wagner Group intends to send the Russian SA-22 system which uses anti-aircraft missiles and air-defence guns to intercept airplanes.

An unnamed US official told the Wall Street Journal that Washington hasn’t confirmed that the system has been sent.

Officials though are said to be monitoring discussions between Wagner forces and Hezbollah with the potential delivery being flagged as a major concern for them.

Wagner troops played an important role in Syria, helping to shore up the country’s leader, President Bashar al-Assad, who is a key ally of Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president.

The move comes amid growing concerns that the Iranian-backed Hezbollah could open up a northern front along Lebanon’s border with Israel.

In an attempt to counteract that potential move, the US has stationed an aircraft carrier in the eastern Mediterranean.

Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s leader, is expected to give a speech on Friday, which will be his first public comments since Hamas terrorists attacked Israel on October 7, killing some 1,400 people.

Analysts will be carefully examining what Nasrallah says for indications that the group plans on entering the war.

Until now, Israeli forces and armed groups in Lebanon have exchanged low-level cross-border fire.

Last month, Israel ordered civilians in 28 areas to evacuate amid fears Hezbollah is on the brink of invading.

Israel considers Hezbollah an even bigger threat than Hamas, with the group heavily armed with weapons supplied by Iran.

Hezbollah’s deputy chief Naim Qassem has already insisted its militants have been readied to enter the conflict “when the time comes for action”.

He warned: “Hezbollah knows its duties perfectly well.

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“We are prepared and ready, fully ready, and we are following developments moment by moment.”

But Israel has threatened to retaliate aggressively should Hezbollah become more deeply involved.

Yigal Carmon, former counter-terrorism advisor to Israeli prime ministers Yitzhak Shamir and Yitzhak Rabin, said Lebanon will suffer severe consequences.

He told The Sun: “We told them [Hezbollah] several times that if they intervene Israel will bring them to the Stone Age.

“We will take Lebanon back to the Stone Age.”

The terror group has an estimated stockpile of 150,000 rockets and thousands of highly-trained soldiers battle hardened after serving in Syria to help prop up tyrant Bashar al-Assad’s brutal regime.

It comes as…

It operates as a state within a state in Lebanon and is under much more direct control of Iran than Hamas.

The latest developments come as the IDF has claimed it has “encircled” Gaza City and is now thought to be engaged in face-to-face combat in its fight to eliminate Hamas.

The Israeli military’s “encirclement of the city of Gaza has been completed,” according to Israel Defence Forces spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari.

Earlier today, the IDF claimed it had killed another top Hamas commander was killed in the second airstrike on the Jabalia refugee camp in 24 hours.

Israeli forces said Muhammad A’sar the head of Hamas’ anti-tank missile unit was “eliminated” in a strike of the Gazan refugee camp dubbed a “terrorist stronghold.”

The IDF said the terror group’s commander was responsible for “numerous anti-tank missile attacks against civilians and IDF soldiers.”

It comes as another top Hamas commander was killed in Tuesday’s blast at the Jabalia refugee camp.

Ibrahim Biari, was one of the Hamas leaders responsible for orchestrating the deadly October 7 attacks.

The son of ‘assassinated’ Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, Pavel, 25, is now thought to be head of the militia group.

The mercenary army leader was buried at a lavishly-adorned gravesite in a St Petersburg cemetery after his death in August.