Lebanon

27 Jan 2019; AFP: The chief of Lebanon's Hezbollah movement has warned Israel against continuing strikes in Syria targeting mainly Iranian positions, saying it could fuel war in the region.

Israel's army has since 2013 claimed hundreds of attacks on what it says are Iranian military targets and arms deliveries to Tehran-backed Hezbollah, with the goal of stopping its main enemy Iran from entrenching itself militarily in neighbouring Syria.

BEIRUT, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- The spokesperson for the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Andrea Tenenti said Thursday that the UNIFIL strongly disapproves of the daily Israeli violation of Lebanon's airspace.

"Using Lebanon's airspace violates Lebanon's sovereignty and UN Resolution 1701. These violation contradict with our goals and efforts of minimizing the level of tension while creating a stable atmosphere in southern Lebanon," Tenenti was quoted as saying by Elnashra, an online independent newspaper.

BEIRUT, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- The chief of United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on Thursday urged Lebanon and Israel to refrain from any sudden activities near the Blue Line separating the two countries.

"The UNIFIL must be notified of any activities near the Blue Line in order to ... put in place coordinated security arrangements to avoid any possible incidents or violations," said Stefano Del Col.

BEIRUT, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Caretaker Economy Minister Raed Khoury insisted Wednesday that Lebanon should participate in Syria's reconstruction and benefit from this "huge opportunity", local media reported.

"We should take part in Syria's reconstruction which will witness the participation of all regional countries," Khoury was quoted by Akhbar Al Yawm local agency as saying.

Khoury noted that Lebanon should benefit from Syria's reconstruction, especially after Lebanon has paid "a big cost" as a result of the war in the neighboring country.

BEIRUT, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Lebanese General Labor Union head Bechara Asmar called Tuesday for a nationwide strike on Friday to accelerate government formation, local media reported.

"We call for a nationwide strike this coming Friday for the public and private sectors in a bid to push officials to form a government and save the Lebanese people," Asmar was quoted by the National News Agency as saying.

BEIRUT, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said Saturday that his party will retaliate for any Israeli attack on Lebanon.

"We will inevitably respond to any attack against Lebanon and we will not accept any underestimation by the enemy of the country's power as it used to do in the past," he said in a televised speech marking the party's "Martyrs' Day."

Nasrallah said that "Hezbollah has a tremendous rocket capability and the enemy will not dare to attack Lebanon because of this power."

"Any attack will be faced automatically," he said.

BEIRUT, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- Israeli warplanes violated Lebanon's airspace Thursday above Shebaa farms, while conducting surveillance above Hasbaya, Rashaya Al Wadi and West Bekaa, in south of the country, local media reported.

Another Israeli warplane also acted against Lebanon's airspace in the same areas on Wednesday, said a report by Elnashra, an online independent newspaper.

Caretaker Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil said earlier this week that Israel has violated Lebanon's airspace, land and sea over 1,500 times in the past eight months.