Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has recently highlighted the need to work to “stop the Israeli aggression against southern Lebanon.”
Mikati stressed “the priority of working to reach a cease-fire in Gaza to stop the ongoing Israeli aggression,” following a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in the Jordanian capital of Amman.
He also stressed the need to stop Israel’s “scorched earth policy” which is “followed by using internationally banned weapons to continue causing more human losses and destroying southern regions and towns.”
“Lebanon, which is committed to international legitimacy and the implementation of International Resolution 1701, and in coordination with UNIFIL, calls on the international community to pressure Israel to stop the daily encroachments and violations on its land and sovereignty on land, sea and air,” he said.
Blinken said, “He is making every effort to stop military operations for humanitarian purposes,” provided that “this is accompanied by the start of research into dealing with the hostages file,” according to a statement from Mikati’s office.
Tension has flared along the border between Israel and Lebanon, with exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah amid an Israeli military offensive on the Gaza Strip.
Border clashes have been the deadliest since Hezbollah and Israel fought a full-scale war in 2006. At least 57 Hezbollah members have been killed in cross-border clashes since October 7, reported Anadolu Agency.
The Israeli army has expanded its air and ground attacks on the blockaded Palestinian enclave, which has been under relentless airstrikes killing nearly 10,000 people.
