Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has issued a stark warning that his country is teetering on the brink of a new conflict, following Israel’s vow to retaliate against rocket attacks launched from Lebanese territory. The prime minister’s concerns are rooted in the risks associated with renewed military operations along the southern border, which could potentially plunge Lebanon into another devastating war.
“Salam warned of renewed military operations on the southern border, because of the risks they carry dragging the country into a new war, which will bring woes to Lebanon and the Lebanese people,” he said in a statement.
This warning comes on the heels of a statement by Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir, who pledged that the military would respond severely to the intercepted rockets. Zamir emphasised that Lebanon bears the responsibility of upholding the agreement.
The Lebanese prime minister’s statement served as a stern reminder that his country will not be drawn into another conflict without a fight, asserting that “all security and military measures must be taken to show that Lebanon decides on matters of war and peace.”
The current tensions threaten to upend the delicate ceasefire that brought an end to the year-long conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. This fragile truce has been jeopardised by the recent surge in rocket attacks, which has prompted former Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman to lambast Prime Minister Netanyahu for failing to restore security. Lieberman’s scathing criticism was encapsulated in his statement, “Rockets from Gaza, Yemen, and Lebanon in a single day. The prime minister of October 7 is a danger to Israel’s security.”
In response to the cross-border rocket fire, Israel has launched a barrage of artillery and airstrikes, further straining the already fragile truce. The situation has been exacerbated by the fact that rockets were launched from Lebanon towards northern Israel after nearly three months of relative calm. Reuters has reported that the fresh escalation has brought the Middle East to a boiling point, with Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam reiterating his concerns that Israel’s attacks risk dragging his country into another war.
