Israel close to carry out a military campaign against Lebanon
Israel's permanent representative to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, issued a warning on Wednesday, indicating that the country is nearing the execution of a military operation against Lebanon. Erdan stated that Israel is currently facing a heightened risk of military action in Lebanon, which is the closest it has come to such an event since the 2006 conflict. He pointed to the escalation of tensions by Hezbollah along the border as a contributing factor to this heightened state of alert.
- Middle East
- Anadolu Agency
- Published Date: 04:13 | 30 August 2023
- Modified Date: 04:13 | 30 August 2023
Israel is close to carry out a military campaign against Lebanon, the country's permanent delegate to the United Nations warned Wednesday.
Israel is "the nearest to launching military action in Lebanon since the 2006 [war]," Gilad Erdan told Army Radio, citing what he called Hezbollah escalation along the border.
The Israeli delegate said Tel Aviv will not be able to tolerate what he described as Hezbollah's rising violations against Israel.
On Tuesday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warning of "violent escalation" along Israeli-Lebanese border.
Israel "will not tolerate increasing threats to the security of its citizens, and will act as required in their defense," Gallant warned.
There was no comment from Lebanese authorities or Hezbollah on the Israeli accusations.
The Israeli-Lebanese border has witnessed tension in recent months amid mutual accusations of violating and crossing the borderline.
In June, Hezbollah set up tents in Shebaa Farms and the Kfar Shouba hills close to the border. Lebanon insists that the Shebaa Farms area, which has been under Israeli occupation since 1967, is Lebanese territory.
In 2006, Israel and Hezbollah fought a 34-day war in which more than 1,200 Lebanese-mostly civilians-were killed. Some 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers, were killed in the same conflict.