Lebanon's president calls for international action against Israel and claims 'a prelude to a ground invasion'
President Joseph Aoun declared, on Sunday, that the attacks launched by Israeli forces in southern Lebanon “constitute a dangerous escalation and a flagrant violation of the sovereignty” of the country, stating that Lebanese officials have been warning for a long time, through diplomatic channels, about the possibility of an Israeli invasion, reports CNN.
The reaction of the Lebanese president comes in the context in which, also on Sunday, Israeli officials announced that they had ordered the army to destroy all the bridges on the Litani river that are used by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, and “to speed up the demolition of Lebanese houses”.
“These attacks constitute a dangerous escalation and a flagrant violation of Lebanon's sovereignty. They are a prelude to a ground invasion, against which Lebanon has long warned through diplomatic channels. They also reflect a dangerous trend towards the systematic destruction of infrastructure, civilian facilities and residential areas in Lebanese villages, amounting to a policy of collective punishment against civilians,” Aoun said.
Lebanon's president calls for international action
He said Israel's decision to attack the Litani River bridges “is part of dubious plans to establish a buffer zone, entrench the reality of occupation and continue Israeli expansion into Lebanese territory.”
The Lebanese leader called on the international community, including the UN and members of the Security Council, to take action to “deter Israel”.
On Sunday, Israel's defense minister announced that he and the prime minister had ordered the military to “immediately destroy all bridges over the Litani River that are used for terrorist activities to prevent Hezbollah terrorists and weapons from moving south” toward the border with Israel, according to Reuters, AFP and The New York Times.
The army, Minister Israel Katz added, was also ordered to “accelerate the demolition of Lebanese houses in contact villages to thwart threats to Israeli communities.”
The official said he had ordered demolitions “on the model of Rafah and Beit Hanoun”, two cities in Gaza, largely destroyed by Israeli forces during the two years of war in the Palestinian enclave.
