Israeli attacks on Beirut ‘render ceasefire meaningless’: NGO
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) says renewed Israeli attacks on the Lebanese capital are another reminder that the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah “has not brought a lasting peace for people in Lebanon”.
Israel struck Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday after issuing an evacuation warning, prompting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to call for France and the US to pressure the country to halt its attacks.
It was the third time Israel has attacked Beirut and its suburbs despite a ceasefire that began in November.
“The continued violations threaten the stability of the ceasefire agreed last year, and risk damaging the safety and wellbeing of civilians across the country,” Maureen Philippon, the NRC’s country director in Lebanon, said in a statement.
“International guarantors of this agreement must not allow the dark days of death, destruction, and displacement to return.”
Israeli army says it attacked 50 targets across Lebanon in past month
The military has justified the attacks by saying they were carried out in response to threats against Israel.
Rights groups have denounced Israeli attacks on Lebanon as a violation of a ceasefire agreement with Lebanese group Hezbollah that came into effect in November 2024.
On Sunday, after an Israeli attack on Beirut, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun accused the country of undermining stability in Lebanon and escalating tensions.
He said Israeli attacks pose “real dangers to the security” of the region.
Hezbollah chief condemns Israeli attack on Beirut, calls for int’l pressure
Naim Qassem has said that Israel’s attacks on the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital yesterday lacked “any justification”. “It is a political attack aimed at changing the rules by force,” the Hezbollah leader said in a televised speech.
Qassem said that the Lebanese authorities must do more to ensure Israel abides by the terms of the ceasefire, which came into force in November.
“The state must exert pressure. The pressure it has exerted so far … amounts to nothing more than some actions and statements. This is unacceptable,” he said, adding that the Lebanese government should “take more action” and raise the issue at the UN Security Council.
Qassem also said that the US has backed Israel’s actions, including the latest strike on Beirut, and called on the Lebanese government to put pressure on Washington “and make it understand that Lebanon will not rebuild without an end to the aggression”.
