Israel is severely attacking Lebanon, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his government is ready to reach a peace agreement with Lebanon. Tensions between Israel and Lebanon began in the 1970s–1980s and continue to this day.
At the same time, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that, given the way Israel is attacking Lebanon, a peace agreement seems meaningless. He also said that Iran will stand by Lebanon until the end and will never abandon it.
Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun said that his goal is not to fight Israel, but to reach a ceasefire. He emphasized that he does not want to escalate the war further.
Hezbollah MP Ali Fayyad said that Israel must first agree to a ceasefire with Lebanon, after which talks can move forward. He also added that displaced Lebanese people must be allowed to return to their homes and Israeli forces should withdraw.
A day earlier, around 100 people were reportedly killed in Israeli strikes. Israel and the United States had already made it clear that Lebanon was not included in the ceasefire agreement, while Pakistan stated that Lebanon is part of it.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that 303 people were killed in Israeli strikes in Beirut, with more than 1,000 injured.
Israel also stated that it killed Ali Youssef Harshi, an associate of Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem, during the attacks, which has led to widespread shock and grief in Lebanon.
Countries in the Gulf region have called for urgent attention to a ceasefire to prevent further loss of lives.
Meanwhile, countries including the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and Turkey have also said that Lebanon should be included in the ceasefire so that a complete halt to the conflict can be achieved.