A cautious calm has prevailed in southern Lebanon as the Israeli army and Hezbollah recently agreed to a 60-day pause in their yearlong conflict….reports Asian Lite News
Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib discussed Lebanon’s latest situation following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
According to a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, in a phone conversation on Thursday, Araghchi welcomed the ceasefire, which he said was achieved through the “indescribable” resistance of the Lebanese people, struggles of resistance fighters on the battlefield, and efforts made by the Lebanese government, Xinhua news agency reported .
He also emphasised Iran’s unwavering support for Lebanon’s government, people, and army, as well as their resistance, while warning that Lebanon should remain “seriously” vigilant as the ceasefire could be fragile.
Bou Habib, for his part, briefed Araghchi on the latest situation in Lebanon after the entry into force of the ceasefire since early Wednesday.
He also praised Iran for its constant support for Lebanon.
A cautious calm has prevailed in southern Lebanon as the Israeli army and Hezbollah recently agreed to a 60-day pause in their yearlong conflict.
The IDF said several “suspects,” some with vehicles, entered areas in southern Lebanon, violating the ceasefire agreement….reports Asian Lite News
An Israeli fighter jet launched an airstrike in southern Lebanon, said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in a statement, claiming the attack aimed to “thwart a threat.”
This is reportedly the first strike of its kind took place on Thursday since the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon took effect early Wednesday morning, Xinhua news agency reported.
The IDF statement said that “terrorist activities were identified in a facility used by Hezbollah to store mid-range rockets in southern Lebanon,” adding, “The IDF troops are deployed in southern Lebanon, operating to prevent any violation of the ceasefire.”
Earlier on Thursday, the IDF confirmed that it conducted a drone strike in southern Lebanon in the morning, describing it as a warning shot.
The IDF said several “suspects,” some with vehicles, entered areas in southern Lebanon, violating the ceasefire agreement.
In response, the military fired a warning shot near a vehicle in the Markaba area, aiming to deter it without causing casualties. However, Lebanese military sources reported that at least two individuals were injured due to the strike.
Meanwhile, unnamed official and military sources in Lebanon reported four additional injuries in a series of Israeli attacks on the village of Taybeh in southern Lebanon, accusing the Israeli army of breaching the truce.
They added that more such attacks took place in the towns of Al-Bissariye, Shebaa, and Khiam, as well as in the villages of Kfarchouba, Halta, Tayr Harfa, Mays al-Jabal, Kafr Kila, and Aitaroun.
Although a cautious calm prevailed across the border areas in southern Lebanon since the entry into force of a ceasefire between Hezbollah and the Israeli army at 4:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, the two sides have been trading accusations of ceasefire violations.
Hamas saif they are following the progress of the agreement in Lebanon, “to express our commitment to cooperate with any efforts to stop the fire in Gaza.”…reports Asian Lite News
Hamas said that it is ready to cooperate with any ceasefire efforts in the Gaza Strip, following a ceasefire deal struck between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
“We are following the progress of the agreement in Lebanon, to express our commitment to cooperate with any efforts to stop the fire in Gaza,” Xinhua news reported quoting a press statement.
The statement added that the movement is concerned with stopping “the aggression against our people within the parameters we have agreed upon nationally, which are the ceasefire, the withdrawal of the occupation forces, the return of the displaced, and the achievement of a real and complete prisoner exchange deal.”
In the statement, Hamas called on Arab and Islamic countries and “the forces of the free world” to take serious action and pressure the US and Israel to stop “their brutal aggression against our Palestinian people.”
Israel’s security cabinet approved on Tuesday night a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah taking effect on Wednesday morning.
UAE welcomes Lebanon ceasefire
The United Arab Emirates has welcomed the announcement and implementation of a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, and expressed hope that this agreement will lead to a permanent cessation of hostilities.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) commended the efforts of the United States in reaching this agreement, highlighting it as a significant step to prevent further suffering of the brotherly Lebanese people.
Furthermore, the Ministry affirmed the UAE’s steadfast position and unwavering support to Lebanon, its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the restoration of its position at the Arab, regional and international level.
The Ministry further expressed hope that the agreement would lead to the full implementation of Resolution 1701, to restore peace and security for civilians, de-escalate tensions, and initiate diplomatic dialogue to restore security, and safety to achieve the interests of the region’s peoples and fulfil their aspirations of stability, prosperity, and peace.
Calm prevails in South Lebanon
Calm prevails over the border areas in southern Lebanon on Wednesday as a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect at 4:00 a.m. local time (0200 GMT), according to Lebanese security sources.
The sources, who spoke anonymously, told Xinhua that the Israeli army on Wednesday attacked towns and villages in the western Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon and the border town of Khiam in southern Lebanon, and then stopped its airstrikes about 10 minutes before the ceasefire went into effect.
The main roads in various Lebanese regions, now open, are witnessing heavy traffic after a large number of the displaced quickly returned to their towns in southern and eastern Lebanon to check on their homes and properties.
The sources told Xinhua news agency that roads in frontline villages and towns adjacent to the Blue Line separating Lebanon and Israel are still closed.
“Many roads leading to the border areas are still cut off as a result of holes caused by Israeli airstrikes and the Israeli army firing large quantities of cluster bombs while Israeli forces are still inside them,” they added.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese army said in a statement that it is “working to take the necessary measures to complete the deployment in the south according to the Lebanese government’s mandate and to carry out its missions in coordination with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) within the framework of Resolution 1701.”
It called on citizens of the frontline villages and towns to “wait for their return” following the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and adhere to “the instructions of the military units deployed in the area to preserve their safety.”
It also called on those returning to other areas to “be careful of unexploded ordnance and suspicious objects left behind” by the Israeli army.
Israel’s security cabinet on Tuesday night approved a ceasefire deal with Lebanon, paving the way for an end to a nearly 14-month conflict which, according to Lebanese health authorities, has killed 3,823 people and wounded 15,859 others in Lebanon as of Tuesday.
The ceasefire ensures that the Lebanese army will take control of the territory near its border with Israel over the next 60 days, Israel will gradually withdraw its troops from the region, and civilians will return home.
Over the last one year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had repeatedly expressed his deep concern over the widening of the conflict in West Asia…reports Asian Lite News
India on Wednesday welcomed the announcement of ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, hoping that the development would finally result in peace and stability in the wider region which had been engulfed in tension due to the long conflict.
“We welcome the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that has been announced. We have always called for de-escalation, restraint and return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy. We hope these developments will lead to peace and stability in the wider region,” read a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Announcing the truce deal late Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the length of the ceasefire depends on what happens in Lebanon.
“We will enforce the agreement and respond forcefully to any violation. We will continue united until victory,” said Netanyahu.
Over the last one year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had repeatedly expressed his deep concern over the widening of the conflict in West Asia and reiterated India’s call to de-escalate the situation.
Earlier this week, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar also met Lebanon Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib on the sidelines of Rome Mediterranean Dialogue organised by Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy.
Addressing the gathering, EAM Jaishankar admitted that the conflict underway currently in the Middle East has undoubtedly been a major complication and India has for long been concerned at the possibility of it spreading to other parts of the region.
“The situation in the Middle East is obviously deeply concerning, both for what has happened and what may still come. India unequivocally condemns terrorism and hostage taking. It also regards large scale civilian casualties in military operations to be unacceptable. International humanitarian law cannot be disregarded. In immediate terms, we should all support a ceasefire,” said EAM Jaishankar.
“Our concerns have also been increasing on the widening of the conflict. We have been in regular touch with both Israel and Iran at the highest levels to advocate restraint and enhance communication. Where Lebanon is concerned, there is an Indian contingent like Italy, that is part of UNIFIL,” he added.
Last month, after the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFL) revealed that its Naqoura headquarters and nearby positions have been repeatedly hit following clashes between Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers and Hezbollah elements in south Lebanon, India had said that it remains “concerned at the deteriorating security situation” along the Blue Line that stretches for 120 km along Lebanon’s southern frontier and remains a key to peace in the region.
“We are concerned at the deteriorating security situation along the Blue Line. We continue to monitor the situation closely. Inviolability of UN premises must be respected by all, and appropriate measures taken to ensure the safety of UN peacekeepers and the sanctity of their mandate,” the MEA stated.
The ministers expressed their concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza….reports Asian Lite News
Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) countries called on Israel to comply with its obligations under international law at a meeting.
The ministers said in a statement that they support a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah and the full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, Xinhua news agency reported.
The ministers expressed their concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. They called on the Israeli government to ease obstacles on humanitarian aid to civilians in areas rocked by conflicts.
They said that “Israel must fully comply with its obligations under international law in all circumstances, including International Humanitarian Law.”
The two-day meeting was held in Fiuggi and Anagni, southeast of Rome.
The G7 comprises Canada, the United States, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Japan.
Meanwhile, Lebanon’s Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, in a series of posts on X, described the proposal as a “fundamental step towards restoring calm and stability in Lebanon and enabling displaced persons to return to their towns and cities”.
He thanked the US and France for their involvement, and reiterated his government’s commitment to “strengthen the army’s presence in the south”.
Mikati said: “While I value the joint efforts of the United States and France in reaching this understanding, I reaffirm the government’s commitment to implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701, enhancing the presence of the Lebanese Army in the South, and cooperating with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).”
President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has described the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire to come into effect on Wednesday as “very encouraging news”.
She said the news was encouraging “first and foremost for the Lebanese and Israeli people affected by the fighting”.
“Lebanon will have an opportunity to increase internal security and stability thanks to Hezbollah’s reduced influence,” she posted on X.
The UK’s Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, calling for the deal to be turned into “a lasting political solution”.
Starmer in a statement said: “Today’s long overdue ceasefire between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah will provide some measure of relief to the civilian populations of Lebanon and northern Israel, who have suffered unimaginable consequences during the last few months of devastating conflict and bloodshed.”
The Prime Minister further added that now this deal must be turned into a lasting political solution in Lebanon, based on Security Council Resolution 1701, that will allow civilians to return permanently to their homes and for communities on both sides of the border to rebuild.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, stressed that the “length” of this ceasefire will depend on “what happens in Lebanon.” …reports Asian Lite News
After months of skirmishes and thousands of casualties, Israel and Hezbollah agreed to the ceasefire deal on Tuesday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, also stressed that the “length” of this ceasefire will depend on “what happens in Lebanon.”
“With the United States’ full understanding, we maintain full freedom of military action. If Hezbollah violates the agreement and tries to arm itself, we will attack. If it tries to rebuild terrorist infrastructure near the border, we will attack. If it launches a rocket, if it digs a tunnel, if it brings in a truck carrying rockets, we will attack”, Netanyahu noted.
He gave three reasons for having a ceasefire at this point.
“The first reason is to focus on the Iranian threat, and I won’t expand on that. The second reason is to give our forces a breather and replenish stocks. And I say it openly, it is no secret that there have been big delays in weapons and munitions deliveries. These delays will be resolved soon. We will receive supplies of advanced weaponry that will keep our soldiers safe and give us more strike force to complete our mission. And the third reason for having a ceasefire is to separate the fronts and isolate Hamas. From day two of the war, Hamas was counting on Hezbollah to fight by its side. With Hezbollah out of the picture, Hamas is left on its own. We will increase our pressure on Hamas and that will help us in our sacred mission of releasing our hostages”.
It was on Tuesday, US President Joe Biden announced =ceasefire will be in place between Israel and Hezbollah starting from Wednesday.
Biden made these remarks on Tuesday from the Rose Garden after an Israeli official on Tuesday told CNN that the country’s security cabinet approved a ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The President heralded the development as “good news”.
Soon after Biden shared the news, Israeli airstrikes shook Beirut.
Thousands returning home
Residents displaced by conflict in southern Lebanon and northern Israel are beginning to return to their homes as tensions ease. Despite warnings to avoid the region, many families are making their way back, driven by the need to rebuild their lives and regain a sense of normalcy.
The situation remains challenging, with humanitarian concerns persisting. Limited resources and overcrowded shelters have made it difficult for displaced individuals to find adequate support during the conflict. The return to their homes signifies both relief and apprehension as residents face the daunting task of recovery.
Across the border, residents in northern Israel are also resettling. For many, the decision to return is rooted in a lack of safer alternatives. The recent period of unrest has left communities on both sides grappling with uncertainty about long-term stability.
The return of residents to these regions highlights the resilience of affected communities, even as efforts to restore normalcy continue amid broader concerns about security and humanitarian needs.
UN welcomes ceasefire
The United Nations welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, a senior UN official said in a statement.
The agreement marks the starting point of a critical process, anchored in the full implementation of resolution 1701 (2006), to restore the safety and security that civilians on both sides of the Blue Line deserve, said Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the UN special coordinator for Lebanon, on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.
The UN statement came hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the nation’s security cabinet approved a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.
Considerable work lies ahead to ensure the agreement endures, Hennis-Plasschaert said, adding, “Nothing less than the full and unwavering commitment of both parties is required.”
It is clear that the status quo ante of implementing only select provisions of resolution 1701 (2006), while paying lip service to others, will not suffice, she noted. “Neither side can afford another period of disingenuous implementation under the guise of ostensible calm.”
Hennis-Plasschaert commended the parties on “seizing the opportunity to close this devastating chapter.”
“Now is the time to deliver, through concrete actions, to consolidate today’s achievement,” she said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement on Tuesday that there are three “main reasons” he wants a ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon now…reports Asian Lite News
As the Israeli security cabinet voted in favour of a ceasefire deal to end the fighting with the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement on Tuesday that there are three “main reasons” he wants a truce now. an Israeli official told the media.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement on Tuesday that there are three “main reasons” he wants a ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon now.
“With the United States’ full understanding, we maintain full freedom of military action. If Hezbollah violates the agreement and tries to arm itself, we will attack. If it tries to rebuild terrorist infrastructure near the border, we will attack. If it launches a rocket, if it digs a tunnel, if it brings in a truck carrying rockets, we will attack”, Netanyahu noted.
“The first reason is to focus on the Iranian threat, and I won’t expand on that. The second reason is to give our forces a breather and replenish stocks. And I say it openly, it is no secret that there have been big delays in weapons and munitions deliveries. These delays will be resolved soon. We will receive supplies of advanced weaponry that will keep our soldiers safe and give us more strike force to complete our mission. And the third reason for having a ceasefire is to separate the fronts and isolate Hamas. From day two of the war, Hamas was counting on Hezbollah to fight by its side. With Hezbollah out of the picture, Hamas is left on its own. We will increase our pressure on Hamas and that will help us in our sacred mission of releasing our hostages,” Netanyahu said.
The Israeli PM’s speech was released after an Israeli official told CNN the security cabinet had approved a ceasefire deal.
Netanyahu also said the duration of a ceasefire would “depend on what happens in Lebanon”.
He added that Israel would resume attacks if Hezbollah violated the agreement by rearming, digging tunnels, launching rockets, or rebuilding its infrastructure near the Israeli border.
“With the United States’ full understanding, we maintain full freedom of military action,” he said.
Israel and Lebanon have been engaged in a prolonged conflict that began on October 8 last year, when Hezbollah attacked Israeli-controlled territory in solidarity with Hamas and Palestinians in Gaza, as reported by CNN.
This incident sparked a series of tit-for-tat border attacks, which eventually escalated into a major military offensive launched by Israel in mid-September.
The conflict has seen a ground invasion by Israel, resulting in the deaths of several Hezbollah leaders, including one of its founders, Hassan Nasrallah, and thousands of injuries from an attack involving exploding pagers. The situation remains volatile, with ongoing efforts to negotiate a ceasefire.
Biden administration’s reported coordination with Trump’s team on its efforts to forge ceasefire in Lebanon is perhaps the highest-profile example of cooperation in sometimes choppy transition period…reports Asian Lite News
The Biden administration kept President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration closely apprised of its efforts to broker the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah that is slated to go into effect early Wednesday, according to the outgoing Democratic administration.
Trump’s team, meanwhile, was quick to spike the football and claim credit for the rare spot of good news for a Democratic administration that’s been dragged down by the grinding Mideast conflict.
“Everyone is coming to the table because of President Trump,” Florida Rep. Mike Waltz, Trump’s choice for his national security adviser, said in a post on X on Tuesday, shortly before the Israel Cabinet signed off on the agreement. “His resounding victory sent a clear message to the rest of the world that chaos won’t be tolerated. I’m glad to see concrete steps towards deescalation in the Middle East.”
The Biden administration’s reported coordination with Trump’s team on its efforts to forge the ceasefire in Lebanon is perhaps the highest-profile example of cooperation in what’s been a sometimes choppy transition period.
Trump’s transition team just on Tuesday reached a required agreement with President Joe Biden’s White House that will allow transition staff to coordinate with the existing federal workforce before Trump takes office on Jan. 20. There has been some coordination on high levels between the outgoing Biden and incoming Trump teams, including talks between Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Waltz.
Biden in Rose Garden remarks on Tuesday cheered the ceasefire agreement as a critical step that he hoped could be the catalyst for a broader peace in the Mideast, which has been shaken by nearly 14 months of war following Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
“This is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities,” Biden said. “What is left of Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations will not be allowed I emphasise, will not be allowed to threaten the security of Israel again.”
White House officials are now hopeful that a calm in Lebanon will reinvigorate a multi-country effort at finding an endgame to the devastating war in Gaza, where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages and the conflict is more intractable.
Biden said the US, as well as Israel, will engage in talks in the coming days with officials from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey to try to get Gaza talks back on track.
But during Biden’s moment of success in a conflict that has roiled his reputation at home and abroad, the specter of the incoming Trump administration loomed large.
Trump’s senior national security team was briefed by the Biden administration as negotiations unfolded and finally came to a conclusion on Tuesday, according to a senior Biden administration official. The official, who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity on a call organised by the White House, added that the incoming Trump administration officials were not directly involved in the talks, but that it was important that they knew “what we were negotiating and what the commitments were”.
Trump’s team and allies, meanwhile, said there was no doubt that the prospect of the Republican president returning to power pushed both sides to get the agreement done.
Waltz, in addition to giving Trump credit for the ceasefire deal coming together, added a warning to Iran, Hezbollah’s chief financial backer.
“But let’s be clear: The Iran Regime is the root cause of the chaos & terror that has been unleashed across the region. We will not tolerate the status quo of their support for terrorism,” Waltz said in his post.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally, also gave a shoutout to the incoming administration, while giving a nod to Biden’s team.
“I appreciate the hard work of the Biden Administration, supported by President Trump, to make this ceasefire a reality, Graham said in a statement.
Richard Goldberg, a senior adviser at the Washington group Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, said the moment magnifies that Iran which he said would have needed to approve of Hezbollah agreeing to the ceasefire is carefully weighing what lays ahead with Trump.
“There’s zero doubt that Iran is pulling back to regroup ahead of Trump coming into office,” said Goldberg, a National Security Council official in Trump’s first administration. It’s a combination of Israeli military success and Trump’s election the ayatollah has no clothes and he knows we know.”
The Biden White House is also holding on to a sliver of hope that the Lebanon ceasefire deal could help reinvigorate a long sought after Israel-Saudi normalization deal.
The official said a “lot of work has been done” to get such an agreement on track “but clearly where we are in Gaza is holding us back”.
Biden has said his administration was tantalizingly close to reaching a deal between the Middle East’s two most important powers shortly before the Hamas attack sent tremors throughout the region. He has speculated that the emerging normalization deal was part of Hamas’ motivation in carrying out its attack on Israel when it did.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu signalled his potential approval for the emerging ceasefire with Hezbollah during a security consultation with Israeli officials on Sunday night….reports Asian Lite News
The Israeli cabinet will meet to discuss a ceasefire deal with Lebanon at the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) Kirya headquarters in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, media reported citing a minister’s office, which comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave his “in principle” approval to the plan
The meeting is scheduled to take place between 5:30 to 9 p.m. (local time), CNN reported.
Netanyahu signalled his potential approval for the emerging ceasefire with Hezbollah during a security consultation with Israeli officials on Sunday night.
Netanyahu’s spokesperson said the Israeli cabinet will vote on the proposed deal on Tuesday and it is expected to pass.
The report, however, said that Israel still has reservations over some details of the agreement, which were expected to be transmitted to the Lebanese government on Monday, adding that “those and other details are still being negotiated and multiple sources stressed that the agreement will not be final until all issues are resolved”.
CNN reported citing sources familiar with the negotiations that the talks appear to be moving positively toward an agreement but acknowledged that as Israel and Hezbollah continue to trade fire, one misstep could upend the talks.
Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, has expressed strong opposition to the deal, calling it a “big mistake” and a “historic missed opportunity to eradicate Hezbollah”.
Ben Gvir has also long worked to thwart potential ceasefire deals between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Benny Gantz, who resigned from Israel’s war cabinet in June over Netanyahu’s handling of the war in Gaza, called on the Prime Minister to make the details of the ceasefire deal public.
“It is the right of the residents of the north, the fighters, and the citizens of Israel to know,” Gantz said.
Last week, US envoy Amos Hochstein said in Beirut that a ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon was “within our grasp,” but that it was ultimately “the decision of the parties”.
Later Monday, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said that Hochstein’s discussions had been “constructive”.
Israel’s Home Front Command also warned of a heightened risk of Hezbollah rocket fire before Tuesday’s crucial vote, and on Monday updated its defensive guidelines for several parts of northern Israel.
Israel and Lebanon have been engaged in a prolonged conflict that began on October 8 last year, when Hezbollah attacked Israeli-controlled territory in solidarity with Hamas and Palestinians in Gaza, as reported by CNN.
Intense airstrikes continue
At least 36 people were killed and 17 others injured in Israeli airstrikes on southern and eastern Lebanon, according to media reports.
Israeli airstrikes on the eastern Lebanese governorate of Baalbek-Hermel killed 11 people, including eight in a residential apartment in the village of Nabi Chit and three others in Hermel, the official National News Agency ( NNA) reported on Monday.
Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon killed 25 people, including nine in the village of Maarakeh, three in the village of Ain Baal, two in the town of Ghazieh, 10 in the Tyre district, and one in the village of Yohmor, the NNA reported, adding that the airstrikes also injured 17 people in Tyre.
On Monday, Hezbollah targeted Shraga Base, the administrative headquarters of the Golani Brigade Command, north of the occupied city of Acre, with a barrage of rockets, the NNA reported.
Saudi calls for regional stability at G7-Arab meet
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan participated in an expanded session of the second meeting between G7 foreign ministers and their Arab counterparts on Monday, according to the Saudi Press Agency. Hosted in Italy under the theme “Together for the Stability of the Middle East,” the session addressed key regional and global challenges.
Officials from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, Qatar, and Egypt, alongside the secretary-general of the Arab League, took part in the discussions. Prince Faisal underscored the importance of strengthening partnerships to effectively address pressing issues, including the ongoing crises in Gaza and Lebanon.
He urged the international community to act urgently to secure a ceasefire, ensure unhindered humanitarian aid, and advance efforts toward establishing an independent Palestinian state. Additionally, Prince Faisal emphasized the need to respect Lebanon’s sovereignty and called for renewed international efforts to resolve the crisis in Sudan, stressing the urgency of alleviating human suffering in the region.
The meeting, aimed at fostering collaboration to enhance stability across the Middle East, also included Saudi Ambassador to Italy, Prince Faisal bin Sattam bin Abdul Aziz. The discussions reinforced the collective commitment of G7 nations and Arab states to address critical regional issues and promote lasting peace and stability.
Hundreds of thousands of children were made homeless in Lebanon…reports Asian Lite News
“Despite more than 200 children killed in Lebanon in less than two months, a disconcerting pattern has emerged: their deaths are met with inertia from those able to stop this violence,” according to UNICEF Spokesperson James Elder.
“For the children of Lebanon, it has become a silent normalisation of horror,” said Elder in a press briefing today in Geneva.
“We must hope humanity never again witnesses the ongoing level of carnage of children in Gaza, though there are chilling similarities for children in Lebanon.”
Hundreds of thousands of children were made homeless in Lebanon, he said, noting that Despite efforts in early November to open some schools for children in Lebanon, given widespread attacks over the weekend, all are again closed.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on an immediate ceasefire and the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East.
In his video message to the fifth session of the conference on the establishment of a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, Guterres said that the idea of such a zone stretches back across decades, but with regional conflicts raging and tensions reaching a boiling point, this goal is becoming more urgent by the day, Xinhua news agency reported.
For over a year, Gaza has experienced a non-stop nightmare that threatens to engulf the entire region. And we are all alarmed by the escalation in Lebanon, he noted.
The UN chief called on the international community to mobilise for an immediate ceasefire, and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and the beginning of an irreversible process towards a two-State solution.
“At the same time, true, sustainable security — in the Middle East and around the world — depends on continuing to pursue our disarmament goals,” he said.
The Pact for the Future adopted in September includes a fresh global commitment to achieve a world free of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, Guterres said. “A zone in the Middle East would represent an important step towards that goal.”
He said that the recent awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo, an organisation of survivors of the atomic bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, demonstrated renewed global momentum to eliminate nuclear weapons, once and for all.
Guterres stressed the importance of establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones, saying that the work of the conference is critical to building a more peaceful future for all people — in the Middle East and around the world.
