Capitals (Union, Agencies)
International warnings continued of the expansion of the war in the Middle East to include Lebanon, in light of the recent increasing escalation and mutual bombing operations between Lebanese territories and Israel. This came as the Lebanese authorities opened Beirut Airport to diplomats and journalists to refute charges of storing weapons.
European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said that the conflict in the Middle East is about to expand to include Lebanon.
Borrell told reporters before a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Luxembourg, “The danger of this war affecting southern Lebanon and its extension is increasing day by day. We are on the cusp of an expanding war.”
In turn, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Charles Brown, said that any Israeli attack on Lebanon may increase the risks of a broader conflict that would drag other countries into it.
Brown did not reveal his expectation of the next steps that Israel could take, but he considered that “it has the right to defend itself.”
Brown added to reporters: “Once again, all of this could help expand the scope of the conflict in the region and make Israel concerned, not only about what is happening in the southern part of the country, but also about what is happening in the north.”
Brown pointed out that the United States’ ability to defend Israel from attacks may be more limited than its ability to help intercept missile and drone attacks.
Brown’s statements came at a time when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the day before yesterday that the end of the intense phase of fighting in Gaza would allow Israel to deploy more forces along the northern border with Lebanon.
In this context, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock described the situation on the border between Israel and Lebanon as more than disturbing, and warned of the escalation of violence.
“Any further escalation would be a disaster for all the peoples of the region,” Baerbock said before her tour in the Middle East.
In addition, yesterday, Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati called on all Lebanese parties to take Lebanon’s interests into consideration and safeguard its foreign relations.
A statement issued by his media office said, “The Prime Minister discussed with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Abdullah Bou Habib, the challenges facing Lebanon at this stage, the most important and dangerous of which are the Israeli attacks on the south, which are accompanied by threats of war,” in addition to discussing Lebanese diplomatic communications.
Yesterday, the Lebanese authorities opened the cargo warehouses at Beirut International Airport to diplomats and journalists, reiterating their denial of what a British newspaper reported regarding the storage of weapons inside the campus of the country’s only air facility.
Yesterday, the British newspaper The Telegraph published a report in which it quoted “informants from the airport” who said they were concerned about the increase in weapons supplies on direct flights from other countries.
The Lebanese authorities strongly denied the accusations, which came as a result of serious fears that the escalation would slide into a wide-scale war in light of mutual threats.
The Minister of Public Works and Transport, Ali Hamiya, stressed to reporters from Rafic Hariri International Airport, in the presence of a number of diplomats from several countries, that “our airport meets all international standards.”
He considered that “publishing the report aims to distort the reputation of the airport and cause moral harm to the Lebanese,” denouncing what he described as “written psychological warfare.”
Diplomats and dozens of journalists toured two centers belonging to the two companies operating ground services.
An administrative official at the airport confirmed to reporters in front of the center responsible for providing services that “all aircraft cargo is subject to inspection.”
Director General of Civil Aviation, Fadi Al-Hassan, stressed in statements on the sidelines of the tour that “all aircraft arriving at the airport are subject to the same customs procedures,” explaining that “anyone can view the load of each aircraft arriving at the airport.”
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