Lebanon warns of 'fierce' regional war after Israel escalation

Najib Mikati

13 October 2023; MEMO: Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib yesterday warned of the outbreak of a “severe regional war” if the Israeli escalation in the Gaza Strip does not cease.

This came during a phone call between Bou Habib and his Austrian counterpart, Alexander Schallenberg, according to the official Lebanese News Agency (ANN).

Last night, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati urged his country’s foreign minister to file an urgent complaint against Israel with the United Nations Security Council due to its repeated attacks on Lebanon.

This came after tthe Israeli army shelled the Wata Al Khiyam area in the Nabatieh Governorate on the southern border of Lebanon, despite a cautious calm throughout the day. The Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Aroldo Lazaro, stated that the situation is stable but volatile.

The escalation in southern Lebanon comes after Operation Al-Aqsa Flood launched by the Palestinian resistance against Israel on Saturday, “in response to the violations against Al-Aqsa Mosque,” amid international warnings of the expansion of the confrontations to the Lebanese-Israeli front, given Hezbollah’s presence in the areas and ties to the resistance.

Israel has since dropped more than 6,000 bombs on Gaza over a six day period leaving no where for Palestinians to turn for safety.