A U.S. Department of Defense official warned against making a "wrong decision" that could open a second front with Israel. Although the government has reportedly received an "assurance," as revealed by Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib, that the party will not "intervene" in the Gaza conflict unless Israel "probes" Lebanon, the official Lebanese stance seeks to take Arab action to convene an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers regarding developments in Gaza.
Lebanon's position on the ongoing events in the Gaza Strip and the continuous confrontations for the third consecutive day was discussed in a meeting between caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Minister Bou Habib, followed by a meeting with Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, who had met with the Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), General Aroldo Lazaro, in his office in Yarze.
The discussions focused on maintaining the situation at the southern border, preventing any attempts at penetration, and keeping coordination active through the High Liaison Committee that meets periodically in Naqoura. Bou Habib disclosed from the Grand Serail that Lebanon does not want to enter the ongoing war, and Prime Minister Mikati emphasized that international parties are urging us not to enter the conflict, affirming that this is our position.
The Prime Minister stated, "The communications I have made confirmed the concern of friendly and brotherly nations regarding keeping Lebanon away from the repercussions of the exploding situation in the Palestinian territories and protecting it." He called for transcending divisions and unifying Lebanese wills, while information from "Al-Liwaa" indicated that contacts have begun to convene a cabinet session attended by the boycotting ministers to show the will for internal unity regarding the ongoing events and later discuss how to move towards electing a new president.
Politically, informed sources told "Al-Liwaa" that the recent developments in Gaza and the subsequent events on the southern front have led to a diminishing interest in the presidential file, which was supposed to continue to be pursued through Qatari efforts. They believe that the current endeavor is on pause until the scene becomes clearer after these developments, noting that any urgent issues arising in the country would necessitate an extraordinary Cabinet meeting. These sources indicated that there is an opinion suggesting that the deadlock in the presidential situation could persist due to recent events, while another opinion speaks of reshuffling the cards and pushing towards accelerating the election process. Hence, it is essential to wait for how matters unfold.
