ill insight you of the scenario...
first you need to know the main players of this conflict...
Hizbollah - a shia Militia Political party that managed to make Israel retreat from south of lebanon, and managed to stand against israel's attacks in 2006, and stoped them from entering Lebanon.
Progressive Socialist Party - leader is Walid Jumblatt, also a Druze, which is a minority religion in the Arab world, specially in greater syria region...
Hizbal-Mustaqbal (future)- Sunni liberal Political party , leader Sa'ad hariri (so of Rafik hariri), that has the majority of lebanon. they have played a major role in the Lebanese Civil war.
Amal party - another Shia group supporters of Hizbollah
Lebanese Army - the strongest Armed forces in Lebanon, and it is by far the most trusted, and respected section in Lebanon, due to its Neurtility in conflicts...
to know who's who
Al Jazeera English - Focus - Who's Who In Lebanese Politics
as for the conflict
Mr Jumblatt called to demolish the Hizbollah Communication network, because it is not monitored by the Government. and hizbullah refused, so Jumblatt forced the other sects of the Lebanese political parties to force Hizbullah to do the same, so the goevernment called for Hizbullah to do so...
Nasrallah then speeched the Arab world calling them to not be tricked by the media, for the attacks that will follow his speech are simply self defense, and that the communication network is part of the liberation movement and that he will cutoff any hands that try to affect it.
the next couple of hours nassrallah Militias took over Western Beirut (where the only international Airport in Lebanon is)
and other political groups called this act as a coup against the government.
and gunfire in Beirut sparked, main roads to Syria have been blocked by protestors, and gunmen, lots of people in Beirut are fleeing Beirut to other cities, such as Tripoli (my hometown)...
so this is briefly what the issue is about.
world opinions
Arab League - demands the immidiat Hault of the fighting... and to return to negotiations, and to elect a president in the upcoming elections in 13 May.
USA - called Iran and Syria to stop aiding Hizbullah.
Iran - no comment
EU - same as the US
as for the public Arab Opinion
49% think that this is a start of a Civil war due to the significance of the Airport which is in the Western Part of Beirut.
37% think that it is a political confrontation that wont evolve into a war.
14% think that it is just a temporary conflict that will end soon.
my personaly view is that who ever starts to fire is to blam, eventho i support Hizbullah's existance to protect the country from Israel's random attacks and raids, i dont think its time to take it to the street yet...
and i vote for the last scenario...
as for friends and relatives point of view, especially in Egypt, they find this as an actualy conflict of the American and Iranian Influence in Lebanon, taking the American Iranian Conflict in Lebanon, like the cold war...
which will result in one of them winning, and leaving Lebanon devastated.