Smoke billows over southern Lebanon, amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as pictured from Marjayoun, near the border with Israel, September 24, 2024. REUTERS/Karamallah DaherSource: REUTERS
Lebanon's Information Minister, Ziad Makari, has expressed deep concerns over the escalating conflict between Israel and Lebanon.
The minister denounced the increasing attacks launched on the Lebanese, yet had hope for de-escalation through diplomatic interventions.
"We still think that there is a tiny bit of hope on the diplomatic front. Because Lebanon is bombed every day, Beirut is bombed every day, every night, for 24 hours. The Bekaa in Lebanon, the south, we're afraid we're turning into a new Gaza in Lebanon," he told AFP.
Commenting on the deaths of Hezbollah leaders Ismail Haniyeh and Hassan Nasrallah, he said: "It's a criminal attitude, he (Benyamin Netanyahu) murdered Ismail Haniyeh while he was negotiating a ceasefire, and he murdered Hassan Nasrallah while he was negotiating a ceasefire, so he knew what was going to happen. We find what has happened unacceptable, and it has dragged a country and perhaps an entire region into a war that will never end."
The situation in Lebanon has been increasingly volatile, with frequent exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters. This conflict has intensified since Israel's military operations in Gaza began, drawing parallels between the two regions.
The fear is that Lebanon could face a similar fate to Gaza, which has been subjected to severe blockades and military actions for years.
According to a report by Aljazeera, more than 2000 people have been killed in Lebanon from Israeli strikes.