The Middle Eastern country’s ambassador to London, Rami Mortada, said that Lebanese troops would not “sit and watch” if Israel invaded or “carried out a massive airstrike,” The Times reported. Mortada noted that Hezbollah has become a “formidable fighting force.” “We face all the risks of a large-scale regional conflict, and this is what we are tirelessly trying to avoid,” the ambassador said in an interview with the newspaper. “This is definitely the end of the world for Lebanon, but Lebanon will not suffer alone in this war. That is what recent history has taught us. Therefore, every effort must be made to avoid such an outcome,” Mortada added. According to him, the entire region has become hostage to the political fate of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israeli aircraft carried out more than 50 strikes in Lebanon on Thursday, despite calls for restraint amid fears of an escalation of the Middle East conflict after pagers and walkie-talkies exploded, the Daily Mail reported. In Thursday’s operation, the Israeli military said its aircraft struck hundreds of multiple rocket launchers in southern Lebanon that were “ready for immediate launch” towards Israel. The attack lasted for two hours. Lebanese state news agency NNA said the bombardment carried out more than 52 strikes in southern Lebanon after 9 p.m. Three Lebanese security sources said these were the most intense airstrikes in Lebanon since the war between Hamas and Israel began in October. There were no reports of casualties.
The Israeli military has vowed to continue attacks on Hezbollah and said its strikes on Thursday hit around 100 rocket launchers as well as other Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon. In a televised address, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said Israel had “crossed all red lines” by blowing up pagers and walkie-talkies. “The enemy has gone beyond all control, law and morality,” he said, adding that the attacks “could be considered war crimes or a declaration of war.” Describing the attacks as a “massacre” and a possible “act of war,” Nasrallah said Israel would face “severe retaliation and just punishment, where it expects it and where it does not.” At the same time, during the televised address, Israeli fighter jets could be heard breaking the sound barrier over Beirut.
