Although the official aspect, both ministerial and diplomatic, was present yesterday at Rafik Hariri International Airport to continue responding to the airport's invocation in the escalating media and propaganda war amid the rising military tensions between Israel and Hezbollah on the southern front, the most significant development in this context was the European Union's entry into the crisis, either due to fears of the war extending to Lebanon or concerning the repercussions of the threat issued by Hezbollah's Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, to Cyprus a few days ago.
Diplomatic sources concerned with the matter told "An-Nahar" that the recent escalation of threats between Israel and Hezbollah has not overshadowed the considerable diplomatic pressures, both American and European, to prevent a large-scale military explosion in Lebanon, which is now deemed unacceptable by any of the major international forces and blocs. This sentiment has been repeatedly expressed through American and European stances that have created a form of balance in facing the drums of war on both sides of the Lebanese-Israeli front. However, the same sources did not downplay the precarious situation in which the Lebanese government found itself, particularly regarding its complete lack of influence on the course of developments. This was evidenced by the incident involving the British newspaper The Telegraph publishing allegations about the storage of missiles, weapons, and explosives in the warehouses of Rafik Hariri International Airport, which did not require such an extensive show of force as what occurred yesterday, revealing a governmental attempt to assert that the concerned parties exist and that the confrontation is not limited to Hezbollah and Israel and the relevant external parties.
On the European front, there appeared to be a significant alignment with the American context to prevent a serious explosion in Lebanon. The Lebanon file was at the core of the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg yesterday, where the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, expressed his deep concern regarding the escalating situation in the Middle East, warning of the potential extension of the conflict to Lebanon soon. Borrell's remarks came just days after Nasrallah's threat to Cyprus, a member state of the EU.
Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias emphasized that it is unacceptable for Hezbollah to issue threats against Cyprus, a sovereign state within the EU. He stated that the EU stands in solidarity with Cyprus against the threats from terrorist organizations. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock revealed her intention to visit Lebanon as part of her scheduled trip to the region, in light of the intensified confrontations between Hezbollah and the Israeli army in recent weeks amid fears of the outbreak of a comprehensive war. Baerbock indicated that she would travel to Lebanon due to the alarming situation on the border with Israel, according to the German Foreign Ministry. The German minister is expected to arrive in Beirut this afternoon, according to "An-Nahar."
