Lebanese PM warns of Israel’s wider occupation aims as 18 European states urge ceasefire

BEIRUT: Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Thursday that Israel’s war on Lebanon showed no sign of ending, while 18 European countries called for an immediate stop to the fighting and urged Israel to respect Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting, Salam said Lebanon was facing a conflict whose outcome remained uncertain.

Lebanon has become a victim of a war — one whose outcomes and end date no one can predict,

he said.

Salam also criticised what he described as Israel’s military conduct and broader intentions in southern Lebanon. He said statements by Israeli officials and actions by the Israeli army pointed to plans extending beyond immediate military operations.

The positions of Israeli officials, and the practices of their army, reveal far-reaching goals, including a significant expansion in the occupation of Lebanese territories, dangerous talk about establishing buffer zones or security belts, and the displacement of more than one million Lebanese,

Salam said.

His remarks came as the latest round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah reached one month. According to Lebanese authorities, the hostilities have killed more than 1,200 people and forced more than one million others from their homes.

European countries call for halt to fighting

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of 18 European countries said military action by both sides must stop.

Israeli military operations in Lebanon and Hezbollah’s attacks must cease,

the ministers said.

The statement was issued by Spain, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Italy, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Moldova, Norway, Poland, San Marino, Slovenia and Sweden.

The ministers said they were alarmed by the situation in Lebanon and called on Israel to fully respect the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

We urge Israel to fully respect Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and call on all parties, both Hezbollah and Israel, to halt military action,

the statement said.

The European countries said they were appalled by what they called the dramatic situation in Lebanon and condemned attacks on civilian targets, including healthcare workers, aid personnel and journalists, describing such attacks as unjustified and unacceptable.

They also said they would continue humanitarian assistance for the Lebanese population and urged the international community to increase support for the country. The ministers further strongly encouraged Israel to enter direct negotiations with Lebanese authorities and said reform efforts by Lebanon’s government should be supported rather than undermined.

Efforts to support stabilisation in Lebanon are instrumental to lasting peace and security in the Middle East. De-escalation is urgently needed. Diplomacy must prevail,

they said.

Hezbollah announces attacks

Meanwhile, Hezbollah said on Thursday that its fighters had carried out drone and rocket attacks against military targets in northern Israel. The group said the strikes targeted Israeli troops in border areas in response to what it described as ongoing aggression.

According to the Israeli Home Front Command, sirens sounded in those areas. There were no reports of casualties or damage.

The conflict expanded after Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel following the US-Israeli attack that killed Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel then carried out large-scale strikes across Lebanon and launched a ground offensive.