Lebanese politicians urgently called on the international community to pressure Israel to stop its advance into Lebanese territory on Tuesday, as Israeli troops crossed into southern Lebanon in an operation targeting Hezbollah outposts.
Lebanon鈥檚 caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, warned on Tuesday that his country was facing 鈥渙ne of the most dangerous phases of its history,鈥� urging the United Nations for emergency funding for civilians impacted by the conflict.
Imran Riza, the U.N鈥檚 deputy special coordinator in Lebanon, said the country was in U.N. assistance.
鈥淎s violence escalates, we call on the global community to provide this much needed support and to ensure protection of civilians,鈥� Riza said. 鈥淲ithout sufficient resources, humanitarians risk leaving the population of an entire country without the support they urgently require.鈥�
Israeli airstrikes have killed more than 1,000 people in Lebanon over the last two weeks, according to Lebanon鈥檚 Health Ministry. The U.N. says 鈥� nearly a fifth of the country 鈥� have been displaced from their homes while fleeing this bombardment.
Israel鈥檚 offensive follows between Israel and Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Lebanese militant group.
The conflict entered a dramatic new phase over the weekend, following Israel鈥檚 killing of Hezbollah鈥檚 longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah, as well as several other top officials.
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And now Israel says it is running a 鈥渓imited鈥� incursion of 鈥渢argeted ground raids鈥� in southern Lebanon aimed at Hezbollah militants that pose a threat to communities in northern Israel. Israeli authorities say about 63,000 Israelis remain displaced from the border area with Lebanon due to Hezbollah rocket fire.
Israel used similar wording about limited raids at the start of its following the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel, and the Israeli invasion of Gaza has since expanded and continued to grind on one year later. So Israel's latest comments have raised skepticism in Lebanon about the actual scope of the operation.
鈥淭his is not an incursion, this is an invasion,鈥� Najat Aoun Saliba, a Lebanese member of parliament, told NPR. 鈥淲e've been invaded by another country and we have to call on the international community to call it as such.鈥�
Saliba urged world leaders to call on Israel to put an immediate end to its military offensive in Lebanon.
鈥淲e definitely keep saying violence cannot stop violence. We need diplomatic efforts to stop the violence,鈥� Saliba said. 鈥淲e don't want Lebanon to also turn into another Gaza.鈥�
Israel and Hezbollah began trading attacks back and forth across the Israel-Lebanon border after the Oct. 7 assault on Israel led by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
In support of Hamas, Hezbollah says it will continue firing rockets into northern Israel until there's a cease-fire in Israel's military campaign in Gaza.
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