عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Lebanon Minister Says Situation Could ‘Get Out of Hand’

21 August 2024, Lebanon, Nabi Sheet: Lebanese women mourn during the funeral of a Hezbollah militant, who was killed in an Israeli air raid that struck what believed to be an ammunition depot in the village of Nabi Sheet in Lebanese eastern Bekaa valley. Photo: Marwan Naamani/dpa
21 August 2024, Lebanon, Nabi Sheet: Lebanese women mourn during the funeral of a Hezbollah militant, who was killed in an Israeli air raid that struck what believed to be an ammunition depot in the village of Nabi Sheet in Lebanese eastern Bekaa valley. Photo: Marwan Naamani/dpa
TT
TT

Lebanon Minister Says Situation Could ‘Get Out of Hand’

21 August 2024, Lebanon, Nabi Sheet: Lebanese women mourn during the funeral of a Hezbollah militant, who was killed in an Israeli air raid that struck what believed to be an ammunition depot in the village of Nabi Sheet in Lebanese eastern Bekaa valley. Photo: Marwan Naamani/dpa
21 August 2024, Lebanon, Nabi Sheet: Lebanese women mourn during the funeral of a Hezbollah militant, who was killed in an Israeli air raid that struck what believed to be an ammunition depot in the village of Nabi Sheet in Lebanese eastern Bekaa valley. Photo: Marwan Naamani/dpa

Lebanon’s caretaker Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib raised concerns on Friday amid an escalating tension between Hezbollah and Israel saying that the “situation in the region could spiral out of control” should the Gaza ceasefire negotiations fail.
Israel intensified its attacks on southern Lebanon at dawn on Wednesday after a missile attack carried out by Hezbollah on the Golan Heights that incurred damages to around 60 residential places, according to Israeli media.
Amid the spiraling tension, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea raised concerns that the Rafic Hariri International Airport (RHIA), the country’s sole civilian aviation terminal, is being subject to Israeli threats. He said operating a second airport in the country’s north should be taken into consideration.
“Can someone explain to us why the government does not embark on operating the Qoleiaat airport” in the north, he stated on X. “Its infrastructure is almost complete. It only needs some technical equipment”.
“Everyone knows that the Beirut airport is subject to threats. Governments are supposed to ease things for its citizens”, he said, criticizing parties who reject the reopening of Qoleiaat airport.
Late in July, several international airlines suspended their flights to Beirut as tension escalated between Israel and Hezbollah following the assassination of senior military commander Fuad Shukr in the southern suburbs of Beirut, near RHIA airport.
Operating Qoleiaat airport, as a substitute for the country’s main terminal, has been a constant demand of some political forces amid Israeli’s security threats.
Since Hezbollah opened a front in southern Lebanon to support Gaza, Lebanese lives have been upended, with fears that this support could escalate into a devastating war.
In a telephone call with Japan Foreign Minister Yōko Kamikawa, Abou Habib warned that “if the peace negotiations on Gaza fail, the situation in the region could spiral out of control”.
Meanwhile, the country’s caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, said that Lebanon is committed to UNIFIL’s mission in the south, amid the Israel-Hezbollah conflict.
He said cooperation between the Lebanese military and UNIFIL forces is crucial, and rejected claims of differences and discrepancies, adding that “any issues arising during task implementation are promptly resolved”.
Mikati emphasized that “the main message that Lebanon underscores in all its diplomatic communications is the implementation of Resolution 1701, which serves as the cornerstone for ensuring stability and security in southern Lebanon.”
On Wednesday, Hezbollah launched more than 50 rockets, hitting a number of private homes in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights.
The party said the attack was in response to an Israeli strike deep into Lebanon on Tuesday night.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Israeli attacks on south Lebanon have left 564 people dead and 2412 injured, since the Israel-Hezbollah conflict began on October 7, 2023.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
TT
TT

Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday called on major powers to “exert greater efforts to end the war in Palestine and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, an Iraqi government official urged the United States to “prevent any attacks on the country,” referring to potential Israeli strikes.
During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al-Sudani stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not escalate “to a level that threatens regional and global stability.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s appeal comes amid reports suggesting that Israel may launch strikes on Iraq in retaliation for attacks by Iraqi armed factions targeting Israeli positions.
The Iraqi government is striving to assert its exclusive authority over weapons and war-related decisions. However, armed factions affiliated with the Axis of Resistance openly claim responsibility for near-daily rocket attacks on Israel. This has provided Israel with a justification for potentially targeting Iraqi territory, especially after it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against six Iraqi factions and held Baghdad responsible for the attacks.
These factions have also openly declared their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The Iraqi government has been unable to take decisive action to halt the activities of these factions, which many believe could soon expose Iraq to an Israeli strike.
According to media reports, Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless the Iraqi government curtails attacks by Iranian-backed factions on Israel. The Times of Israel cited sources indicating that the United States has “exhausted all means of pressure on Israel” and urged Iraq to act swiftly to prevent such attacks.
Despite repeated assurances from the Iraqi government—including its recent adoption of 12 measures by the National Security Council to counter Israeli threats and complaints—the situation remains tense. These measures include monitoring Iraq’s western borders, preventing factions from launching attacks, and maintaining Iraq’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
On Wednesday, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, made a striking statement on the role of resistance factions in the war and their commitment to the Unity of Fronts doctrine frequently mentioned by Axis of Resistance groups.
In an interview published by the faction’s media arm, Al-Hamidawi said: “The continuity of the Unity of Fronts concept depends on what the Lebanese Hezbollah decides.”
Al-Hamidawi also emphasized that resistance factions are constantly coordinating internally and with external partners such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian resistance leaders.
“We aim to ensure that the Palestinian people are not left alone and that the Unity of Fronts remains intact,” he stated.
Fadi Al-Shammari, a political advisor to Sudani, reiterated that Israel’s threats “are not new,” citing the recent complaint filed by Israel with the UN Security Council as part of its pattern of issuing threats.
In media statements, Al-Shammari reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s long-standing position: “The decision of war and peace lies solely with the Iraqi government.”
He noted that the factions’ attacks are being launched from areas outside Iraq’s borders, specifically from Syria. However, he stressed that the Iraqi government is working through its security and military agencies to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external or internal parties.
Al-Shammari also called on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with Iraq, emphasizing the need to deter and respond to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.