Israel's military has warned the Lebanese Hezbollah militia against intensifying border fighting. “We are closer to war today than we were yesterday,” said military spokesman Jonathan Conricus, accusing Hezbollah of “a steady and systematic escalation along the border.”
The Shiite militia, which has close ties to Iran, is “engaging Lebanon in a dangerous war,” Conricus said. A diplomatic solution is sought with Hezbollah. If this is not achieved, the Israeli military is ready to “use its capabilities so that Israeli civilians in the border area can return to their homes”.
According to reports, around 80,000 Israeli civilians have been brought to safety in recent months due to fighting in the north.
Since the Gaza war began on October 7, there have been repeated bombings in the Israeli-Lebanese border region. It is the worst escalation since the second Lebanon war in 2006.
Opposition leader Lapid warns against expanding the war
The leader of the Israeli opposition, Jair Lapid, also warns of a possible expansion of the war between Israel and Hamas to other regions. There are “several forces” that want to drag Israel into a “multifrontal war”, Lapid said today during a visit to Berlin. The “sensitized” parts of Israeli society “worked together with the US and European countries to prevent this”.