US, UK and United Nations officials have called for restraint as tensions between Israel and Hezbollah escalate in Lebanon. The Ministry of Health in Lebanon reported that at least eight people died and 59 were injured in an Israeli airstrike in Southern Beirut on September 20. to Reuters.
After days of escalating conflict, Israel launched a major airstrike against South Lebanon on September 19 and Hezbollah retaliated on September 20, raising fears of further conflict and a wider Middle East war. It comes days after thousands of pagers and other wireless devices, many of them used by Hezbollah, exploded in Lebanon and parts of Syria in an unprecedented deadly incident that killed at least 37 people and injured 3,000. Although Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack, Hezbollah officials and several news outlets have suggested that the Israeli government was responsible.
Hezbollah said on September 20 that it had launched several strikes against Israeli forces in the north of the country. About 140 rockets were launched into northern Israel, the IDF said, while others were fired at the civilian areas of the Golan Heights, Safed, and the Upper Galilee. The IDF later said it had launched airstrikes on the Lebanese capital, Beirut. In a post on social media X earlier in the day, Israel’s Foreign Ministry wrote, “Make no mistake: those who harm the people of Israel will pay the price.”
Read more: ‘It sounded like gunfire.’ Fear Grips Lebanon After Deadly Pager and Radio Explosives
The 15-member United Nations Security Council is expected to meet today to discuss the tension. The spokesperson for the United Nations Interim Peace Keeping Force in Lebanon, expressed concern about the chaos on the border between Israel and Lebanon. “We are concerned about the increase in the number of passengers on the Blue Line and we urge all operators to get off immediately,” Andrea Tenenti, told Reuters.
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said the US is “fearful and concerned about possible escalation.” During a press conference on September 19, Jean-Pierre said, “The way forward is the decision of the officials. We think it is achievable. It’s obvious that it’s urgent.” He added: “Diplomacy is important here if we are talking about potential growth, which we do not want to see.” On September 18, Antony Blinken, the Secretary of State of the United States, asked “all parties” to avoid further escalation of the conflict. Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy called for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah on September 19.
In October 2023, Hezbollah began attacking the Northern border region of Israel in cooperation with Gaza, where there is an ongoing war with Israel. Israel has responded with border attacks, and the two groups have been trading almost daily for nearly a year. So far, neither party has allowed things to escalate into full-scale war, but some in the official community worry that could soon change.
Israel says its goal is to allow all Israelis who fled their territories to return to their homes in the border region. Currently, 97,000 Lebanese and 60,000 Israelis have been forced from their homes since the conflict began in October last year, according to Al Jazeera.
On the evening of September 16, before the pager attack, Netanyahu’s security cabinet officially added the safe return of the citizens of Northern Israel to their homes as one of the goals of the war.
“The chance of an agreement is ending as Hezbollah continues to ‘commit’ to Hamas, and refuses to end the conflict,” said Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on September 16. “Therefore, the only way left is to ensure the return of the communities in the north Israel in their homes, it will be done by the military.”
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah speaking on television on September 19 said what Israel did was a declaration of war and vowed to respond. “The enemy is crossing all rules, regulations and red lines. It didn’t care about anything at all, morals, humanity, not according to the law,” he said. “It can be called a war crime or a declaration of war—whatever you choose to call it, it’s appropriate and appropriate.”
He also said that Israel will pay the price for its actions and that Hezbollah will continue its cross-border attacks as long as Israel continues to have a presence in Gaza. “The enemies will face severe and unfair punishment where they expect it and when they don’t expect it,” he said.
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