An Israeli airstrike on Beirut on Tuesday killed a senior Hezbollah commander, and cross-border rocket attacks from both sides have heightened fears of a full-scale war in the Middle East, with Lebanon saying only Washington can help end the fighting.
Lebanon says only US can stop fighting
Hezbollah confirmed early Wednesday that senior commander Ibrahim Qubaisi was killed in Israeli airstrikes on the Lebanese capital on Tuesday, Israel had previously announced. Israel said Qubaisi was leading the group’s missile forces.
The Israeli offensive has killed 569 people, including 50 children, and injured 1,835 in Lebanon since Monday morning, Health Minister Firass Abiad told Al Jazeera Mubasher TV.
The new offensive against Hezbollah has heightened fears that the nearly year-long conflict between Israel and the militant Palestinian group Hamas in the Gaza Strip is escalating and could destabilise the Middle East. Britain urged its citizens to leave Lebanon and also said it was moving 700 troops to Cyprus to help its citizens evacuate.
The UN Security Council said it would meet on Wednesday to discuss the conflict. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said:
“Lebanon is at the brink. The people of Lebanon – the people of Israel – and the people of the world – cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza.”
Biden: Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest
At the UN, where the General Assembly is being held this week, US President Joe Biden has issued a call for calm. He said:
“Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest. Even if a situation has escalated, a diplomatic solution is still possible.”
Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib criticised Biden’s speech as “not strong, not promising” and said the US was the only country “that can really make a difference in the Middle East and with regard to Lebanon.” Washington is Israel’s long-time ally and biggest arms supplier.
The US “is the key … to our salvation,” he also told an event in New York City hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Thousands of displaced people fleeing southern Lebanon took shelter in schools and other buildings in Beirut. At Bir Hassan Technical Institute, volunteers brought water bottles, medicine and other supplies for the new arrivals.
Hezbollah retaliatory strikes
Lebanese group Hezbollah said on Wednesday it fired a rocket at the Mossad headquarters near Tel Aviv, which it said was responsible for killing its leaders and blowing up pagers and radios used by the group, in a new escalation of tensions.
Meanwhile, warning sirens sounded in Israel’s economic capital Tel Aviv as one surface-to-surface missile was intercepted by air defence systems after being detected on the border with Lebanon, the Israeli military said.
There were no reports of damage or casualties and the military said civil defence instructions in central Israel had not changed. Warning sirens sounded in other areas of central Israel, including the city of Netanya.
Saudi, Lebanese FMs discuss developments in Lebanon
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah held talks with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib in New York on Wednesday.
Meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, they discussed the latest developments in Lebanon after Israel launched intensive strikes against Hezbollah.
They discussed the risk of the Gaza conflict spreading to the entire region, stressing the importance of preserving Lebanon’s security and respecting its sovereignty in accordance with international law.
Activists protest US support for Israel amid growing Middle East war risks
Demonstrations were held in a number of US cities protesting against US military support for Israel due to the growing risk of a full-scale conflict in the Middle East. Anti-war activists demanded an arms embargo on the US ally.
Dozens of protesters gathered in New York’s Herald Square on Tuesday night and carried banners reading “Hands Off Lebanon Now” and “No to US-Israeli War in Lebanon,” according to the coalition group ANSWER, which stands for “Act Now to Stop War and End Racism.”
Protesters chanted “Hands off the Middle East,” “Free Palestine” and “Biden, Harris, Trump and Bibi; none are welcome in our city,” referring to US President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
A smaller protest with similar slogans and banners was also spotted outside the White House in Washington on a rainy Tuesday evening. The ANSWER coalition group said in a statement:
“Israel’s attacks in Lebanon and the ongoing siege and genocide in Gaza are made possible by the huge amount of bombs, missiles and warplanes provided by the US government.”
It said protests will also be held in cities such as San Francisco, Seattle, San Antonio, Phoenix and others on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the US continues to support Israel during the war despite domestic and international criticism.
Italy’s PM calls for ceasefire in Lebanon
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Tuesday that the biggest challenge regarding Lebanon is to achieve a ceasefire and reduce tensions, arguing that a large-scale war would not benefit anyone.
Meloni discussed the situation in Lebanon during her visit to New York for the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, especially in light of recent Israeli airstrikes. Speaking to Italian media, she stressed that the main goal should be to achieve a ceasefire and reduce tensions, while recognising Israel’s right to self-defence.
Meloni also noted that a large-scale conflict in Lebanon would have detrimental consequences, emphasising Italy’s commitment to spreading the message of moderation and working with allies and G7 partners to assess potential initiatives.
Expressing concern about the situation in Lebanon, Meloni noted that some 1,000 Italian soldiers are stationed there as part of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Italy wants the UN to focus on the security of its troops, she said, adding that the force could play an important role once the current situation stabilises.
Macron reaffirms Paris’s support for Lebanon at UN General Assembly
French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday pledged Paris’s continued support for Lebanon, speaking on the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Speaking to French media during his visit to the US, Macron reiterated that France has always supported and will continue to support Lebanon. His statement came ahead of a crucial UN Security Council meeting this week to discuss developments in Lebanon.
Macron emphasised the importance of the upcoming Security Council meeting, stressing that the situation in Lebanon remains a key issue for France.
