The US State Department reaffirmed what it called Israel’s right to defend itself against Lebanese Hezbollah attacks, but its spokesman Matthew Miller explained that the priority was to avoid expansion of the current conflict. In this context, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an end to the mutual attacks between Israel and Hezbollah, expressing his concern about the risk of a “broader conflict.”
Miller pointed out that this issue is the core of diplomatic talks with Israel and other countries in the region.
He also noted that Hezbollah is still carrying out cross-border strikes, some of which are highly destructive, and that Israel has the right to defend itself against “terrorist attacks,” but he expressed concern about the risk of escalation and expansion of the conflict.
The United Nations warns of the expansion of the conflict
For his part, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an end to the mutual attacks between Israel and Hezbollah along the border between Lebanon and Israel, expressing his concern about the risk of the outbreak of “a broader conflict that would have devastating consequences for the region.”
Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the Secretary-General, said in a statement that the Secretary-General once again calls on the parties to cease fire immediately, in reference to the Blue Line drawn by the United Nations between Lebanon and Israel in 2000, when Israeli forces withdrew from southern Lebanon.
He pointed out that Guterres fears that the exchange of fire will lead to a broader conflict, which could have dire consequences for the region.
Guterres expressed his regret at the loss of hundreds of lives, the displacement of tens of thousands, and the destruction of homes and livelihoods on both sides of the Blue Line.
Recent days have witnessed an escalation in the exchange of bombardments between the Israeli army and Hezbollah, in the midst of the eight-month-long Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.
Attacks escalate
In a related context, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Wednesday that Israel is “prepared for a very intensive operation” on its northern border, as missiles and drones from southern Lebanon led to the outbreak of numerous fires in northern Israel near the border.
On the Lebanese border, the Israeli army announced yesterday, Thursday, the killing of a soldier and the wounding of 8 others in an attack carried out by Hezbollah using two drones on a military site near the village of Hurfish in the Upper Galilee. One of them exploded among the soldiers and the other struck the rescue teams.
Israeli media reported that a commercial complex in Kiryat Shmona, in the eastern sector of the border with Lebanon, was directly hit by missiles and drones launched by Hezbollah.
Hezbollah announced that its fighters bombed with “Falaq One” missiles the Baranit barracks and its surroundings, and targeted Al-Baghdadi’s site with heavy Burkan missiles. They also bombed the Zarit and Zibdin barracks, and the sites of Ramtha, Matula, and Al-Raheb.
Hezbollah mourned one of its fighters who was killed in a raid carried out by an Israeli drone on the town of Aitaroun.
A civilian was also injured in a raid that targeted a car in the city of Bint Jbeil.
It is noteworthy that Israeli aircraft launched raids on the Jabal al-Rayhan area, the towns of Aitaroun, Wadi Gilo, and other areas in southern Lebanon.