The risk of Lebanon being drawn into conflict in the Middle East

SGGP October 23, 2023 06:32

On October 22, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had a phone call with Lebanon's interim Prime Minister Najib Mikati, expressing concern about the risk of Lebanon being drawn into the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Hezbollah: Ready for war

The warning comes as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon continues, causing casualties on both sides. According to Hezbollah's announcement, four of its fighters in southern Lebanon were killed in Israeli airstrikes. Hezbollah's statement also said that its guided missile hit an Israeli military truck in the Dovev area of ​​northern Israel, killing all the soldiers on board. Hezbollah's second-in-command, Naim Qassem, said the force was ready to go to war if Israel launched large-scale military operations against the Hamas movement.

Israeli military base in southern Lebanon attacked by Hezbollah gunmen

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said Hezbollah fired an anti-tank missile at the northern village of Baram, wounding three of its soldiers. Israel also ordered the evacuation of the border town of Kiryat Shmona, which has a population of about 25,000 and is within range of Hezbollah and other Palestinian armed groups. According to a source from the Lebanese Internal Security Forces, the Israeli army bombed about 20 towns in the south of the country, causing serious damage to 15 houses and a forest fire. A Lebanese military source also accused an Israeli drone of firing a missile at a car in the central town of Hula in southern Lebanon, killing the driver and injuring others.

Israel announces next phase

Regarding the conflict in the Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that the country's army is "continuing to prepare for the next phase of war, including ground operations." Accordingly, the Israeli army released images of live-fire exercises, in the context of a large number of tanks and soldiers being concentrated near the border area with the Gaza Strip. More than 300,000 reservists have also been called up. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant inspected the northern border area, where clashes are taking place between the IDF and Hezbollah forces in Lebanon.

So far, 20 trucks carrying relief goods have entered Gaza through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt after 2 weeks of blockade by Israel. However, Hamas representatives said that the small amount of relief goods cannot help solve the humanitarian crisis happening here. It is important to establish a safe corridor to promptly provide humanitarian assistance and allow the injured to receive appropriate medical care.

Meanwhile, the US Department of Defense said that the US will deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system and additional Patriot air defense missile battalions to the Middle East in response to recent attacks on US troops in the region. Since October 18, three Iraqi military bases used by US-led coalition forces have been the target of five different attacks. The US currently has about 2,500 troops stationed at these three bases, along with about 1,000 soldiers from other countries in the coalition formed to fight the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) group.

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/nguy-co-lebanon-bi-cuon-vao-xung-dot-o-trung-dong-post710897.html