Israel prepares for ground invasion of Lebanon; Joe Biden warns of ‘all out’ war as US, France raise concerns
The Israeli Army asked its soldiers to prepare for a ‘possible’ ground invasion of Lebanon.
After the militant group Hezbollah claimed to have launched its biggest strike yet on Israel in response to airstrikes on Tuesday that killed more than 550 people in Lebanon, news agency AP reported.
The war in Gaza looks set to take a deadly escalation with Israel and Hezbollah engaged in a constant battle since past week. On Wednesday, Hezbollah launched dozens of projectiles, including a missile aimed at Israel’s capital Tel Aviv, which marked the group’s deepest strike since the Gaza war began on October 7 last year.
The attack came after Israel’s biggest airstrikes claiming to target the group’s weapon stores across south and eastern Lebanon. Earlier, thousands of pagers and radios exploded across Lebanon targeting Hezbollah members for which the Lebanese government blamed Israel’s Mossad.
Daily skirmishes and rocket attacks has become a constant feature across Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, as the group said it was responding in solidarity with Palestinians surviving Israel’s brutal military action in Gaza.
Israeli Army chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi told the troops on the north that the ‘punishing’ airstrikes was designed to “prepare the ground for your possible entry and to continue degrading Hezbollah”. “Today, Hezbollah expanded its range of fire, and later today, they will receive a very strong response. Prepare yourselves,” he added.
The Israeli military and the US had indicated over last week that there were no plans on ground invasion of Lebanon, but the recent comments are strongest indication in that direction.
The US told the annual UN Security Council that it was working with partners towards a temporary ceasefire plan to reduce tensions and allow Israelis and Lebanese to return to their homes in border areas.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged both sides to step back from an all-out war saying it would be “disastrous” for the people and the region.
France Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot also said his country is working with the US towards a 21-day ceasefire proposal to set the stage for “negotiations” between Israel and Hezbollah.
Barrot said the details of the proposal would be announced soon and he planned to travel to Beirut by the end of the week. “We are counting on both parties to accept it without delay in order to protect civilian populations and allow for diplomatic negotiations to begin,” he said.
Israel’s ambassador to the UN Danny Danon said his country is “open to ideas” to prevent an escalation. “We are grateful for all of those who are making a sincere effort with diplomacy to avoid escalation, to avoid a full war,” he said before Barrot announced the ceasefire plan.
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati urged the Security Council to act immediately “to guarantee the withdrawal of Israel from all the occupied Lebanese territories and the violations that are repeated on a daily basis”.
US President Joe Biden warned of an “all-out” war. “I don’t want to exaggerate it, but a possibility, if we can deal with a cease-fire in Lebanon, that it can move into dealing with the West Bank, and also in Gaza — and so, it’s possible,” Biden told ABC’s “The View” in an interview.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon and warned, “Hell is breaking loose”. The UN said more than 90,000 Lebanese people have been displaced over five days of Israel’s airstrikes. Over 200,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon since the beginning of Gaza war on October 7.