Political sources revealed a movement of external diplomatic communications with Lebanese officials, including Hezbollah, regarding the escalating clashes between the party and the Israeli army along the southern Lebanese border. Israel has targeted areas in Lebanon that are relatively distant from the frontline, raising concerns about the potential expansion of these clashes in other directions if tension is not reduced and escalation from both sides is contained.
These sources conveyed warnings from these countries, highlighting the need to be cautious and not to give any pretext to the Israeli side to broaden the scope of clashes or to carry out large-scale military operations within Lebanese territory, taking advantage of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas and the exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, expected today or tomorrow. Recently, significant military units of the Israeli army have been mobilized opposite the southern Lebanese border.
The sources pointed out to the newspaper "Al-Liwaa" that the external warnings to Lebanon about the expansion of clashes between Hezbollah and the Israeli army are also due to the increase in external objections to the Israeli aggression against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and the effectiveness of the movement undertaken by the ministerial committee resulting from the recent Arab and Islamic summit held in China to implement the summit's resolutions regarding halting the Israeli war against Gaza and initiating negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis to implement the two-state project, thereby resolving the conflict between the two parties. This movement restricts the margin for continuing the Israeli war against the Palestinians and leads to a shift in public opinion in most countries supporting Israel.
The sources noted, quoting Arab diplomats, a clear American displeasure with the initiation of the Arab and Islamic ministerial committee's mission from China, considering this step a turning point for these countries in their engagement with China and an increase in confidence in its role in international politics and specifically in the Middle East crisis, contrasted with diminishing trust and relations with the American administration.
In preparation to address the situation in the south, President Mikati revealed that UN resolution 1701 stipulates the deployment of 12,000 Lebanese soldiers in the UNIFIL operational area, while currently only 4,000 soldiers are deployed. Mikati told his visitors: the government has decided to recruit 8,000 soldiers, and funding has been secured from external sources, including the costs of recruitment and training needed.
On the eve of the 80th Independence Day, U.S. President Joe Biden sent a message to President Najib Mikati on the occasion of Independence Day, emphasizing that the United States "will continue to work closely with Lebanon and partners in the Middle East region to maintain peace and prevent the expansion of the conflict."
