EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell was in the capital Beirut on Saturday for meetings with Lebanese government representatives. According to state news agency NNA, Borrell warned that Lebanon should not be drawn into a regional conflict with Israel. The increase in bombings on the border between Israel and Lebanon is worrying.
Borrell said he agreed with incumbent Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati to work diplomatically toward de-escalation and long-term stability, including calling for a political solution after the meeting. Mikati told the meeting that a major attack in southern Lebanon would send the region into “full explosion.”
Blinken begins new mediation tour
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also wants to discuss in Israel, the West Bank and other countries in the region in the coming days how an expansion of the war in Gaza can be avoided. The US Secretary of State also plans to visit Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The US Secretary of State also wants to appeal to countries in the region to use their diplomatic channels to convey to Iran that the US does not want an escalation, but would defend its interests if attacked. In addition to Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria, pro-Iranian militias are also active in Iraq and Yemen. Blinken has traveled to the region several times since the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel and the war in Gaza that erupted immediately afterward.
According to Hezbollah, “first reaction”
Hezbollah militia described Saturday's large-scale rocket attack as an “initial response” to the assassination of Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Aruri. Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas, said it fired 62 rockets at the Israeli air base in Meron. The Israeli army, on the other hand, reported around 40 rockets fired from Lebanon on Saturday morning.
Hezbollah fires rockets at Israel
Following the assassination of Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Aruri in Lebanon, pro-Iranian Hezbollah said it fired more than 60 rockets at an Israeli military base on Saturday. Israel confirmed the bombing.
Later, Hezbollah announced new attacks on Israeli soldiers and positions – the Israeli army, in turn, declared that it had retaliated. He claimed to have hit “several Hezbollah terrorist targets.” Since the war between Israel and Hamas began in early October, Hezbollah has also attacked Israel almost daily from southern Lebanon. The Israeli army is responding to this with increased airstrikes in Lebanon.
UN observation mission with second highest alert level
Lebanese security circles said the Christian village of Rmesh in southern Lebanon was under heavy Israeli fire. Fighter planes would also bomb the cities of Hula and Jarun. There were no reports of possible casualties or damage. Lebanese security sources said the situation in the border area was very tense.
The UN observation mission UNIFIL declared the second highest alert level. Soldiers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, which has monitored the border area between Israel and Lebanon since 1978, would have to wear protective vests and helmets and remain near bunkers.
Israel neither denied nor confirmed involvement
Aruri, deputy head of Hamas's political office, was killed in an explosion in a suburb of the Lebanese capital, Beirut. Hezbollah militia blames the explosion on the Israeli army. A US official in Washington also said Aruri's death was the result of an Israeli attack. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement in Aruri's violent death.
IMAGO/ZUMA Wire/Daniel Carde The deputy head of Hamas was killed in Beirut
Aruri, who Israel considered the mastermind of the West Bank attacks, had long been considered a possible attack target. He is said to have been responsible for Hamas' activities in the West Bank. “Whoever did this, it must be clear that it was not an attack on the Lebanese State. “It wasn’t even an attack on Hezbollah,” said Israeli government security adviser Mark Regev. The alleged attack targeted Hamas exclusively.
Hezbollah chief warns Lebanon
Hezbollah in Lebanon, which is allied with Hamas and in turn supported by Iran, immediately threatened to retaliate for Aruri's death. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah warned on Friday of consequences for Lebanon if his militia did not respond to Aruri's killing. Hezbollah cannot remain silent in the face of such an incident. “This crime will never go unanswered or unpunished,” Hezbollah said.
The Lebanese government initially contacted the militia to prevent them from launching a wave of attacks. The government is only able to act to a certain extent. The country is currently led by Prime Minister Mikati. For more than a year, the election of a president has repeatedly failed due to power struggles within the political elite.
For the safety of its citizens in the north of the country, Israel demands that the Hezbollah militia withdraw from the border and has threatened that it could use military means if necessary if diplomatic efforts are unsuccessful. Since the fighting began, more than 76,000 people have had to flee their homes in southern Lebanon, close to the border; On the Israeli side, more than 80,000 Israelis were removed from their hometowns in the border area.