The United States, France, and several European and Arab nations issued a joint statement on Thursday calling for a 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon to ease tensions between Lebanon and Israel and to pave the path for diplomatic efforts toward a peaceful resolution.
The statement, released by the White House, emphasized that the deteriorating situation since October 8, 2023, poses a significant risk of a broader regional escalation, stressing that an immediate ceasefire along the Lebanon-Israel border would provide space for diplomacy and international efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement.
Meanwhile, Lebanon’s Ministry of Health reported 51 fatalities and 223 injuries from Israeli airstrikes on various regions, including Al-Maaysrah, Joun, Baalbek-Hermel, and southern areas. Lebanese Health Minister Firas Al-Abyad announced that a crisis cell had been activated to address the situation of displaced persons due to the escalating violence.
Israeli military chief General Herzi Halevi indicated that the airstrikes on Lebanon could precede a potential ground operation, raising concerns of a broader conflict in the Middle East.
Israeli forces continued airstrikes along the northern border, targeting southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, while Israel works to secure its northern borders and facilitate the return of 70,000 displaced Israeli citizens following the Gaza conflict that began in October.
Lebanese hospitals remain overwhelmed with the influx of casualties, experiencing the deadliest days since the end of Lebanon’s civil war in 1990, with hundreds of deaths reported due to Israeli strikes.
