Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq issued a stern warning on Wednesday that Israel is “pushing the region towards a total war” with its ongoing military operations in Gaza and escalating airstrikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The foreign ministers of the three countries, in a joint statement following a meeting in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, discussed “the serious escalation currently unfolding in the region.” They emphasized that stopping this escalation begins with halting the Israeli aggression on Gaza.
The ministers also condemned the “Israeli aggression on Lebanon,” affirming that Israel is driving the region towards a comprehensive conflict.
According to the statement, the ministers discussed the course of action within the framework of the trilateral cooperation mechanism, in preparation for the upcoming trilateral summit at the leader’s level in Cairo.
They called on the international community and the Security Council to take their responsibilities seriously to stop the war, pointing out that Israel bears full responsibility for the deterioration that will have serious consequences for the entire region.
The joint statement comes amidst intense Israeli raids targeting southern and eastern Lebanon since Monday, in a sharp escalation of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah since October, amidst the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Lebanese Health Minister Firas Al-Abiad reported on Tuesday that Monday’s airstrikes alone resulted in 558 deaths, mostly among “the defenseless safe,” and more than 1,800 injured, marking the highest daily death toll recorded in Lebanon since the civil war (1975-1990).
