The flare-up of violence across the Blue Line on Sunday morning, with Israel carrying out dozens of airstrikes on South Lebanon and Hezbollah targeting Israeli territory with 320 missiles, drew local and international calls for de-escalation and restraint.
The head of the Kataeb party, Sami Gemayel, considered that the continuous tit-for-tat attacks between Israel and Hezbollah indicates that “neither side has the intention to expand the war.”
“It is therefore necessary to stop military actions immediately on both sides of the border and move towards reinstating the truce agreement and implementing international resolutions related to Lebanon’s security,” Gemayel wrote on his X account.
He added, “this aims to avoid more destruction and senseless deaths, as no Lebanese will believe the lies and claims of illusory victories.”
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi cautioned against further regional escalation on Sunday in a meeting with the United States’ highest-ranking general.
Sisi “warned of the dangers of a new front opening in Lebanon and stressed the necessity of preserving Lebanon’s stability and sovereignty,” according to a statement from his office.
British State Minister Pat McFadden considered Sunday’s bout of hostilities as “a real danger facing the region,” hoping that “it doesn’t escalate.”
“We are concerned about a major escalation, and we call on all parties to avoid a regional war,” he added.
Alarmed by the intensified hostilities, US President Joe Biden requested American officials to “communicate with Israel on an ongoing basis.”
On the other hand, the Houthis congratulated Hezbollah on its attack on Israel, announcing that “the Yemeni response is coming.”
While Israel claimed that it carried out a “preemptive” operation, thwarting a large-scale Hezbollah attack deep into Israeli territory, the Iran-backed group said it was the first phase of its revenge for Israel’s killing of its top military commander, Fouad Shokr.
