'Israeli recklessness continues expanding war': Lebanon's FM tells UN
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Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib has reiterated Lebanon's right to defend itself amid the continued and escalating Israeli aggression.
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Lebanon's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Abdallah Bouhabib addresses the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Thursday, September 26, 2024. (AP)
Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib called for a ceasefire on active fronts [Gaza and Lebanon] for the implementation of international resolutions, urging the Israeli occupation to halt its escalations.
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Bou Habib stressed that the escalating situation in Lebanon signals worsening prospects for the Middle East, warning of dragging the region toward a "huge explosion".
"What Lebanon is experiencing is a direct consequence of the Israeli occupation," he said, emphasizing and reiterating Lebanon's right to defend itself.
The Lebanese minister further noted that the Israeli occupation has been targeting and burning Lebanese agricultural lands with illegal white phosphorus, preventing them from being cultivated for years now.
As for Resolution 1701, he stated, "We are going through a very difficult period characterized by tragic violence, and Resolution 1701 is Lebanon's line of defense," and "the best tool to stop the cycle of violence," announcing his country's commitment to international legitimacy.
Bou Habib emphasized Beirut's efforts through communications to "avoid falling into traps" while confirming that it was none other than Israeli recklessness that continued expanding the war.
The Lebanese Foreign Minister stated that the return of settlers to settlements in northern occupied Palestine will not be achieved through fighting but rather through a ceasefire, noting that "the only way forward is to seek a diplomatic political solution instead of engaging in conflict."
Israeli aggression continues escalating
This comes as the Israeli occupation continues its extensive and intense aggression against Lebanon, particularly the South, Beqaa, and Beirut's southern suburb.
Earlier on Thursday, Israeli military aircraft launched an aggression on the southern suburb of Lebanon's capital Beirut, targeting a residential building in the area.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported that the three missiles struck a residential building in the Qaem neighborhood in the suburb. As a result of the aggression, preliminary reports indicate that at least four people were martyred and several others were injured.
Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) said that the residential building targeted by Israeli missiles is made up of 10 floors.
The NNA also reported that two people were martyred and another 15 were injured in the strikes.
Israeli occupation Foreign Minister Israel Katz made it clear that "there will be no ceasefire in the north," despite the international push for the 21-day truce.
He said "Israel" will continue its attacks "with all our strength until victory and the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes."
Read more: Gantz calls for all-out war on Lebanon
