Lebanon demands Israel withdraw from Gaza, threatens regional war
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati (photo: Twitter)
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati demands that Israel withdraw from the Gaza Strip. Beirut also warns of the risk of further escalation in the Middle East with the transition to a large-scale war in the region, in particular, due to any strikes on southern Lebanese territory, reports Al-Ghad.
Today, on January 6, during a meeting with European Union High Representative Josep Borrell, the head of the Lebanese government assured that Beirut "seeks peace, not war."
"We want to achieve stability, and we are establishing the necessary contacts in this regard, because any massive bombing in southern Lebanon will lead the region to a large-scale explosion," Mikati said.
He emphasized that the implementation of International Resolution 1701 first requires the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Lebanese territory they occupy.
The Lebanese prime minister also called for working towards a comprehensive solution to the "Palestinian issue".
Commenting on Hezbollah's today's statements about the 62 missiles fired at the Israeli Meron base in response to the assassination of Hamas deputy head Sheikh Saleh al-Aruri in Beirut last Tuesday, Mikati said that the base is located "on top of Mount Jarmak in northern occupied Palestine, and it is the highest mountain peak in occupied Palestine".
Lebanese media claim that Israeli artillery shelled the towns of Mays al-Jabal, Wadi al-Salouki, and the outskirts of Hula in southern Lebanon.
According to Mikati, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) raid targeted the outskirts of the city of Yaroun in southern Lebanon.
Background
Late last year, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz warned Hezbollah that the IDF would take measures to move the militants away from the border with Lebanon if the attacks did not stop.
Earlier on January 6, the Israeli military launched a series of strikes on southern Lebanon after about 40 missiles were fired into northern Israel early in the morning.
We also wrote that on Wednesday, December 20, Israeli Defense Forces fighter jets attacked Hezbollah's operational command center in Lebanon.
Earlier, Israeli air defense forces intercepted one of the planes that entered the country from Lebanon. The other two crashed.
