international community strives to prevent all-out war between israel and lebanon
2024-09-21
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image caption: on september 19, local time, the un security council held an open meeting on the situation between palestine and israel. (visual china)▲
image caption: on the 19th, in beirut, the capital of lebanon, a man walked past a giant billboard. the three people on the billboard from left to right are former hamas leader haniyeh, former commander of the quds force of the iranian islamic revolutionary guard corps soleimani, and former lebanese hezbollah military commander shukor. (visual china)
●our special correspondents in egypt and the united states huang peizhao and xiao da ●wang yi and liu yupeng
after a large number of communication equipment explosions occurred in lebanon for two consecutive days, israel suddenly launched a large-scale air strike on lebanon late on the 19th. israeli warplanes bombed more than 100 rocket launch sites allegedly belonging to hezbollah in lebanon. reuters said that this was the "most violent air strike" launched by the israeli army on lebanon since the large-scale conflict in gaza broke out in october last year. just before the israeli air strike, hezbollah leader nasrallah made a televised speech, saying that israel had "crossed all red lines and was tantamount to declaring war." he also vowed to retaliate severely against israel. in the afternoon of the 20th, northern israel was attacked by a large number of rockets from hezbollah in lebanon. in response to the sharp escalation of the situation between israel and lebanon, the international community has called on all parties to exercise restraint and avoid a full-scale war.
israeli army and hezbollah attack each other
according to afp, air defense sirens were frequently sounded in many places in northern israel in the afternoon of the 20th. the israeli army said that the area was attacked by a large number of rockets from hezbollah in lebanon. videos posted on social media showed frequent explosions in the air near the lake of galilee in northern israel, and the israeli army used the "iron dome" air defense system to intercept incoming rockets. the israeli army also issued an alarm that day, requiring people in the northern region to stay in air-raid shelters and avoid going out and gathering. afp quoted an israeli military spokesman as saying that at least 150 rockets attacked israel within an hour. the current casualties on the israeli side are unknown.
according to agence france-presse, after hezbollah's counterattack, the israeli army immediately launched a "targeted attack" on the lebanese capital beirut that day, killing at least eight people and injuring dozens. the report quoted a hezbollah source as saying that a senior commander of hezbollah's elite forces was killed in the bombing. the day before, the israeli army launched air strikes on hundreds of hezbollah military facilities in southern lebanon. the israeli army said on the evening of the 19th that the air strikes destroyed about 1,000 hezbollah rocket launchers and multiple weapons storage facilities. reuters said that this was the "most violent air strike" launched by the israeli army on lebanon since the outbreak of the new round of israeli-palestinian conflict.
israeli defense minister galant said in a statement on the 19th that there are indeed major risks in the war entering a new phase, but the israeli army will continue to take military action against hezbollah in lebanon. he also threatened: "the longer the fighting lasts, the greater the price hezbollah will pay."
meanwhile, hezbollah leader hassan nasrallah made a televised speech on the 19th, vowing that hezbollah would continue to fight and make israel face "fair punishment and painful reckoning". he said: "revenge will definitely come, but we will not reveal the scale, form and location." he also said that although israel has "technical advantages", hezbollah will not succumb to pressure, "as long as there is no ceasefire in gaza, attacks on israel will continue."
qatar's al jazeera reported on the 20th that the israeli army and hezbollah had actually exchanged fire dozens of times on the 19th. hezbollah launched at least 17 attacks on northern israel that day. the israeli army admitted earlier on the 19th that at least two soldiers were killed in hezbollah drone and rocket attacks in the battle in the north, and another nine soldiers were injured.
“all-out war with hezbollah?”
"is israel ready for an all-out war with hezbollah?" the associated press reported on the 20th with this title, saying that with the israeli defense minister's announcement that the war has entered a "new phase", as well as israel's large-scale air strikes on lebanon and the explosion of communications equipment, the possibility of an all-out war between israel and hezbollah seems greater than ever.
cnn said on the 20th that israel and hezbollah have been in conflict for decades, and a series of explosions and attacks this week pushed the two sides to the brink of all-out war. hezbollah is considered the best-armed non-state organization in the world. the associated press said that hezbollah's military strength has been increasing in recent years. it is estimated that hezbollah has 150,000 rockets and missiles, some of which are equipped with guidance systems. hezbollah also has an increasingly large drone force that can threaten all areas of israel. its large-scale retaliation may bring the lives of israeli people to a standstill and cause hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes.
according to al jazeera on the 20th, regarding israel and lebanon being on the brink of a full-scale war, former israeli ambassador to the united states aaron pincus accused the current israeli government of having a "stupid" strategy. he said that the politicians who have been pushing for attacks on lebanon have become bolder due to a series of recent attacks, "these idiots think life is a james bond 007 movie."
international community concerned
the international community is concerned about the possibility of a full-scale war between lebanon and israel. the united states warned all parties not to allow the situation to escalate in any way, saying that the top priority is to find a diplomatic solution. white house spokesman jean-pierre said on the 19th that the united states "is afraid and worried about the potential escalation of the situation" and "a diplomatic solution is urgent." however, us state department spokesman miller said that "we do not want to see any party escalate this conflict," while also saying that "we will continue to support israel's right to self-defense."
french president emmanuel macron spoke with israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu on the 19th, warning that a full-scale war between israel and lebanon must be avoided. he also delivered a video speech to lebanon, saying: "the diplomatic path still exists, and war is not an inevitable outcome. an escalation of the situation is not in anyone's interest."
at the same time, iran's permanent representative to the united nations, iravani, sent a letter to un secretary-general guterres and the un security council on the 19th, demanding strong condemnation of israel's terrorist acts. the letter stated that iran "reserves the right to take necessary measures in accordance with international law to respond to such heinous crimes and violations."
russian foreign ministry spokeswoman zakharova warned on the 20th that israel's launch of a full-scale military operation in lebanon would have the most serious catastrophic consequences for the security of the entire middle east, and this situation must be avoided.
on the 19th, china's deputy permanent representative to the united nations geng shuang said in a speech at the security council's open meeting on the palestinian-israeli issue that china urges israel to give up its obsession with the use of force, abandon the myth of complete military victory, immediately stop its military operations in gaza, stop violating lebanon's sovereignty and security, and stop risky actions that could drag the region into another catastrophe.
the un security council will hold an emergency meeting on the explosion of lebanese communications equipment on the 20th local time. lebanese prime minister mikati called on all countries to take a "firm stance" on the 19th to stop israel's "aggression" against lebanon. ▲
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