In a move underscoring the escalating tensions along the Israel-Lebanon frontier, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken urged Lebanon’s Interim Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, to prioritize the welfare of the Lebanese people who could be detrimentally impacted should the nation be drawn into the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Matthew Miller, the spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, further illuminated on Saturday that in his dialogue with Mikati, Blinken reiterated America’s steadfast support for the Lebanese populace. The conversation spotlighted the mounting apprehensions concerning the increasing frictions along Lebanon’s southern borders.
This diplomatic outreach comes in the wake of renewed clashes last Saturday between Hezbollah forces and the Israeli military. The skirmishes left six Hezbollah militants dead in southern Lebanon. Additionally, two Thai workers on the Israeli side sustained injuries. These confrontations have stoked fears that a fresh front might open up as hostilities persist between Hamas and Israel.
Hezbollah, in separate communiques, acknowledged the demise of six of its operatives in southern Lebanon. Moreover, in northern Israel, near the border vicinity of Margaliot, medics reported injuries to two Thai agricultural workers due to nearby shelling.
Israel had commanded the evacuation of the northern border town of Kiryat Shmona, home to roughly 25,000 inhabitants, following recurrent altercations with Hezbollah militants on the Lebanon-Israel border.
Since the outbreak of fighting along this contentious boundary, at least four casualties have been reported in Israel, which includes three soldiers and one civilian, based on Israeli sources. Meanwhile, the ongoing escalation in Lebanon has resulted in the tragic loss of 29 lives, predominantly Hezbollah fighters. This also encompasses five Palestinian faction militants and four civilians, including a Reuters photographer.
On Saturday evening, the Lebanese National News Agency reported Israeli aerial strikes across the border, specifically near Alama Shaab, Yaroun, Dhahira, and outskirts of Aita Shaab.
The Saturday clashes coincided with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant’s inspection of the northern border. Galant exhorted his troops to remain “vigilant” and pointed out that “Hezbollah has chosen to engage in the fighting and is paying the price. We must be alert and prepared for every possible scenario.” He forewarned of looming substantial challenges.
It’s pivotal to recall that a devastating war between Hezbollah and Israel in the summer of 2006 left over 1,200 casualties on the Lebanese side, mostly civilians, and 160 on the Israeli side, predominantly military personnel. This 34-day conflict displaced nearly a million Lebanese from their towns.
